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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

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

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

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

TLP127: Approaching Talent Acquisition Like a War for Talent is All Wrong

December 5, 2018

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Andrew LaCivita, career and hiring expert and award-winning author has worked with over 200 companies to help them conduct interviews, build teams that support organizational goals, and clearly define company culture. He intentionally creates his day to determine how much he can serve others. In this episode, he talks with Jim and Jan about where…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: assumptions, business, coaching, corporate, culture, hiring, human resources, interviewing, leader, leadership, philosophy, practitioner, recruiting, speaker, stories, talent, team development, thought leader, veterans

TLP119: The Power of Story – from the Rooftop Leader

October 10, 2018

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Lieutenant Colonel Scott Mann, a retired Green Beret, is an expert trust builder and master storyteller. He Joins Jim and Jan to discuss his work helping transition military veterans to civilian life, and the importance of supporting their personal story. Scott gives us a sneak peek into his new play that premiers on November 10th…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: culture, interview, leader, leadership, military, philosophy, speaker, stories, team development, teamwork, veterans

TLP117: NFL Lessons – Get Your Mind Where Your Feet Are

September 26, 2018

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After a ten-year career in the NFL playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, Jon McGraw realized he had become so achievement-oriented that it kept him from being truly present. This led to his study of mindfulness. Today, his core mission is to help others take back control of their life experience and relieve suffering. He…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: athletics, business, coaching, corporate, interview, leadership, team development, teamwork

TLP111: When No One’s Watching…

August 15, 2018

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Major Larry Moores, Retired Army Ranger recently inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame, and now Executive Director of the Three Rangers Foundation, talks with Jim and Jan about leadership in adverse environments, shared accountability and camaraderie within a unit. Larry talks about how an understanding of fundamentals can help teams succeed in the most…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: culture, interview, leader, leadership, military, stories, team development, teamwork, veterans

TLP110: The War For Talent and Talent Won

August 8, 2018

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In this episode, Jim and Jan discuss the critical skills and characteristics leaders should be fostering and selecting for within their work ecosystem. They talk about the need for conscious competence when hiring, and describe the environment where people are enlightened, engaged, and energized. How to contact Jim & Jan: StrengthsFinder  

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: business, corporate, culture, hiring, Jim & Jan, practitioner, talent, team development

TLP109: You Have To Cut Out The Noise

August 1, 2018

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In this episode, Mike Erwin, Founder of Team Red White & Blue (RWB), talks with Jim and Jan about how positive psychology and character affect leadership development. Whether it’s through his work at the Positivity Project, Team RWB, or teaching at West Point, Mike is clear on his purpose and serving others. He believes both…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: fitness, interview, leader, leadership, military, neuroscience, philosophy, positivity, productivity, solitude, team development, teamwork, time

TLP106: Strengthen Trust in Less than a Day

July 11, 2018

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Strengthen Trust in Less than a Day In this episode, Jim and Jan talk about the Urban Team Challenge: What it is, how it came about, how it’s different from other team builders, and the special type of people behind it. The goal is to sharpen your team’s ability to communicate, delegate appropriately, overcome adversity,…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: assumptions, corporate, crucible, feedback, stories, team development, teamwork, training, UTC

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Our guest in this week's episode is Will Linssen, Our guest in this week's episode is Will Linssen, he has coached over 100,000 leaders across six continents. 95% of them got measurably better. Not self-reported. Confirmed by their coworkers.So what is everyone else missing?If your team isn't noticing your growth, Will's answer about it is simple and kind of uncomfortable. Click the link to listen to TLP505 with Will Linssen. https://bit.ly/TLP-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube- https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #coaching #teamperformance #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders #triplewin #willlinssen
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
The leadership model most of us inherited was neve The leadership model most of us inherited was never designed for the world we are leading in now. Maria Brinck joins The Leadership Podcast to talk about what needs to change, who gets left out when it does not, and why this conversation is overdue. You will want to hear this one. Episode 510 is out now and it is one you will want to hear from start to finish. https://bit.ly/TLP-510?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersHead to The Leadership Podcast and give it a listen. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-510?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#TheLeadershipPodcast #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Purpose #Podcast
Most leaders hit a wall at some point. Not because Most leaders hit a wall at some point. Not because they lack skills, not because the people around them aren't capable, but because the belief running quietly in the background still hasn't caught up to the level they're leading at now.Muriel M. Wilkins has spent 22 years coaching C-suite leaders and she keeps seeing the same pattern: the action changes, the belief doesn't. And then people wonder why nothing sticks.This conversation gets into what she calls hidden blockers, seven assumptions so familiar they feel like personality.Episode 503 with @MurielMWilkins is out now. Tap the link https://bit.ly/TLP-503?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-503?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#LeadershipPodcast #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipUnblocked #LeadershipDevelopment #SelfAwareness #GrowthMindset #LeadBetter #ThinkLikeALeader #CoachingLeaders #MurielMWilkins
TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume Our latest epi TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume Our latest episode with Matt Cavanaugh https://bit.ly/TLP-508?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP508%3A%20Your%20Scars%20Are%20Your%20Resume #leadership #failure #resilience #personalgrowth #militaryleadership #army #leadershipdevelopment #scars #overcomingsetbacks #growthmindset #selfimprovement #missiondriven #leadershiplessons #mattcavanaugh #bestscarwins #retiredmilitary #learnfromfailure #purposedriven #leadershippodcast #servantleadership #judgment #emotionalgrowth #leadershiptips #mindset #growthjourney
Most companies start the employment relationship o Most companies start the employment relationship on a promise both sides know they probably won't keep. Steve Cadigan built LinkedIn's culture from 400 to 4,000 people and says that false foundation is still the root of why talent strategy fails today. This episode covers why the fastest-growing companies on the planet have median tenure under four years, and what it actually looks like to care about someone's career beyond their time with you. Episode 506 is out now. Link in bio. https://bit.ly/TLP-506?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-506?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #TheLeadershipPodcast #TalentStrategy #FutureOfWork #SteveCadigan #Workquake #HR
We were never rewarded for questioning ourselves. We were never rewarded for questioning ourselves. We were rewarded for making things happen. And for a while, that works. Muriel M. Wilkins says that's exactly why so many high performers hit a ceiling they can't explain. The game changed. The operating system didn't. Episode 503 on The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-503?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#LeadershipPodcast #HiddenBlockers #LeadershipUnblocked #ExecutiveCoach #MindsetWork #LeadershipMindset #SelfAwareness #CoachingConversations #ThinkBetter #LeadFromWithin
In this episode, Mark Crowley talks about belongin In this episode, Mark Crowley talks about belonging like it's an HR buzzword. But the data says it's the number one driver of well being at work. Not pay. Not perks. Not pizza Tuesdays. Connection. Are you actually building it or just assuming it happens on its own? Full episode out now. https://bit.ly/TLP-504?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#belongingatwork #leadershiplessons #markcrowley #employeewellbeing #hybridwork #teamcohesion #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #workplaceculture #humanconnection
The people who end up in leadership roles are not The people who end up in leadership roles are not chosen randomly. There is a pattern and it has been running for a very long time. Maria Brinck traces it back to something much older than most people expect and she lays it out in a way that is hard to dismiss. It is not just a conversation about diversity. It is a conversation about why organizations keep getting the same results no matter how much they say they want something different. Episode 510 of The Leadership Podcast is out now and it is the kind of conversation that changes how you see things. Head over and give it a listen. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-510?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #UnconsciousBias #TheLeadershipPodcast #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganizationalCulture #Podcast
Most leaders think they have a performance problem Most leaders think they have a performance problem. Mark Morgenfruh says they actually have a relationship problem. After 33 years in HR, he's watched leaders hide behind policies, avoid hard conversations, and wonder why nothing changes. His book is literally called Never Fire Anyone and his argument is hard to argue with. Listen to episode 502 and tell us what you think. https://bit.ly/TLP-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch episode 502 on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #trustbasedleadership #hrleadership #neverfireanyone #leadershipdevelopment #theleadershippodcast
You're a great dad, a loyal friend, a real person You're a great dad, a loyal friend, a real person on Saturday. Then Monday comes and somehow you turn into a different human. Mark Morgenfruh spent 33 years watching it happen and he's got a lot to say about why. Episode 502 is worth your commute. https://bit.ly/TLP-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #trustbasedleadership #workplaceculture #leadershippodcast #theleadershippodcast #neverfireanyone
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
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 coaches talk about coachability but almost no Most coaches talk about coachability but almost nobody checks for it before they start. Will Linssen does, and he says two things kill it every time. One is ego. The second one is more external and honestly makes a lot of sense when you hear it. Catch the full episode https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipcoaching #coachability #executivecoaching #leadership #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #shorts
Most leaders are still betting on compensation to Most leaders are still betting on compensation to do the heavy lifting. Mark Crowley spent 15 years in research and senior leadership figuring out why that bet keeps losing. Pay ranked no higher than fifth in every engagement study. Fifth. So what are the other four? That's the conversation. Listen now! https://bit.ly/TLP-504?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipdevelopment #employeewellbeing #markcrowley #leadfromtheheart #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders #teamperformance #workplaceculture #peoplefirst #leadership
Most people only recognize disruption when it's ma Most people only recognize disruption when it's massive. Patrick Leddin says the small ones matter just as much. A hallway conversation. A bad performance review. An unexpected no. All of it counts. All of it is an opening if you're willing to look at it that way.This one is worth your commute. Episode 507 is out now. https://bit.ly/TLP-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #disruption #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #westudyleaders #disrupteverything #mindset #leadershipcoach #growthmindset
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
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
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
Jack Welch said if the outside world is changing f Jack Welch said if the outside world is changing faster than the inside, the end is near.Steve Cadigan applies that same logic directly to how you manage people. Most talent playbooks were built for a slower world and nobody has updated them. That gap between how fast things are moving outside and how slow things move inside is exactly where the problem lives. If that lands, the full episode will hit harder. Steve Cadigan on Episode 506 of The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-506?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #HR #TalentStrategy #TheLeadershipPodcast #SteveCadigan #FutureOfWork
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Recent Posts

  • TLP514: What High-Performing Leaders Get Wrong About Stress with Karen Doll
  • TLP513: The Leadership Cost of Isolation with Nick Black
  • TLP512: Winning at Work, Losing at Home
  • 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)

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  • Anonymous on TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It’s Not What You Think
  • Anonymous on TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume
  • Anonymous on TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails
  • Anonymous on TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged

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