How to Manage a Crisis with Ex United Airlines Chief of Comms, Jim Olson
In this episode, former United Airlines chief of communications Jim Olson breaks down crisis management using the "aviate, navigate, communicate" framework, illustrated by the 2009 Hudson River landing and real‑world corporate incidents like the Starbucks ISIS attack and United’s passenger‑removal scandal. Olson emphasizes the importance of stabilizing (aviate) before gathering information (navigate) and then delivering clear messaging (communicate), warning against knee‑jerk reactions based on incomplete data. He shares lessons from high‑profile crises, the role of transparent investigations, and the need for seasoned communicators who can listen, learn, and lead through cultural mergers and rapid social‑media scrutiny.
The Leadership Skills That Make Transformation Stick
In this episode, Adi Ignatius and Alison Beard interview Julia Darr, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group and founder of BCG’s Behavioral Science Lab, about why more than 70% of organizational transformations fail. Darr explains that failures stem...
Episode 453 - Melissa Felder Talks About Purpose-Driven Organizations, People-Powered Experiences and Future of Cultural Attractions
In this episode, Melissa Felder, a veteran cultural‑attraction executive, discusses how purpose‑driven missions and people‑powered experiences elevate visitor satisfaction and loyalty. She traces her three‑chapter career—from consumer goods to tech startups to leading the California Academy of Sciences—highlighting how aligning...
Duolingo’s Battle for Learning in an AI World, with Luis Von Ahn
In this episode, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn discusses how the company balances fun, engagement, and effective learning, emphasizing that entertainment drives user retention across ages. He reflects on the backlash from an internal AI memo, clarifying that the intent...
Ep301 Alfonso Valera: Everyone Is Chasing Growth
In this episode, Mark Gagan sits down with Alfonso Valera, CEO of International at Aon Reinsurance Solutions, to discuss the current state and future trajectory of the global reinsurance market. Valera shares insights on geographic growth hotspots—including the Middle East,...
Why You Should Take a Risk Every Day with Julie Zhuo
In this episode of Work Life, host Molly Graham talks with former Facebook design leader and author Julie Zhuo about the practice of taking daily, small risks to build confidence and growth. Zhuo shares how she transformed her self‑perceived “scaredy‑cat”...
Presenting Failures - Chapter 1 - Front Of The Room Behaviors
In this opening chapter of the "Presenting Failures" series, Sarah and Mark dissect why most managers are terrible presenters, emphasizing that the presenter—not the slides or visuals—is the presentation. They highlight three core failure modes centered on physical presence: not...
Marie Oh Huber: Governing Through Disruption
In this episode, Evan Epstein talks with Marie O. Huber, former chief legal officer of eBay and Agilent and current director at Portland General Electric, about the evolving landscape of corporate governance. They explore shareholder activism, lessons from eBay’s transformation,...
Lead Better - The Leader’s Antidote for Worry
In this episode of Lead Better, hosts Scott Baker and Mikey explore how leaders can transform worry into productive action. They discuss the psychological distinction between threat monitoring and agency, illustrating the point with surfer Shane Dorian’s rapid return to...
687: Jim Collins - What To Make of a Life, The 3 Types of Luck, Inflection Points, Cliffs, Encodings, Navigating...
In this episode, Ryan Hawk sits down with renowned author and researcher Jim Collins to discuss his new book, *What to Make of a Life*, exploring concepts like cliffs, fog, encodings, and reflective practices that shape sustained excellence. Collins shares...
What’s the ROI of Your Mother?
In this six‑minute episode of the Gary Vee Audio Experience, Gary Vaynerchuk recounts a heated conversation with a conservative CMO who demanded a concrete ROI for social media, prompting Gary to counter with a tongue‑in‑cheek question about the ROI of...
S07.EP7 - Founder Branding with Amelia Sordell
In this episode, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies interview Amelia Sordell, founder of the personal‑branding agency Clout, about the rise of founder‑led branding. Amelia explains how sharing a founder’s story builds trust in an era where 92% of consumers...
Walmart Wants to Train 2.1 Million Employees on AI | Fast Five Shorts
Walmart announced a plan to train its entire 2.1 million‑strong workforce—including store greeters and tech staff—on AI tools, using internal platform Squiggly and partnering with OpenAI and Google Gemini. The initiative, presented by EVP Donna Morris at the MIT Technology Review...
Target Tells Remote Employees: Relocate or Resign | Fast Five Shorts
The episode examines Target's recent directive that 150 remote merchandising employees must relocate to Minneapolis or accept severance, marking the retailer's largest return‑to‑office mandate in recent months. Hosts discuss whether this move is a strategic boost for creativity and speed...
Lead Better - How Candor Keeps the Blue Angels Safe
In this episode of Lead Better, Scott Baker and Mikey discuss a field note titled “How Candor Keeps the Blue Angels Safe,” using the Navy’s elite flight team as a case study for psychological safety and candor in high‑stakes environments....
Nobody Else Gets To Decide If You Failed
In this candid episode, the host reflects on the emotional roller‑coaster of entrepreneurship, sharing personal setbacks like firing 35 employees and a marital separation, and how those moments made him feel like a failure despite past successes. He challenges the...
Lead Better - When Peers Strongly Disagree About a Decision
In this episode of Lead Better, Sierra Holland and Mikey dissect Field Note #794, which tackles the challenge of peers strongly disagreeing on a cross‑functional decision. They explore how shifting the conversation from "Do you agree?" to "Can you live...
Enrique Salem on Founder Leadership, Trust, and Scaling Technology Companies
In this episode, Enrique Salem—partner at Bain Capital Ventures and former Symantec CEO—shares how his journey from software developer to corporate leader shapes his investment lens, emphasizing a customer‑first perspective and founder empathy. He discusses the challenges of building globally‑ready...
302. What Every CEO Can Learn From Private Equity
In this episode, McKinsey partners Sasha Guy and Marla Kaposi unpack why private‑equity‑backed CEOs face a brutal turnover rate—60% are replaced within two years—and reveal six practices that top‑performing CEOs use to drive outsized value. They highlight the shift from...
517: The New CMO Superpower: System Design
In this episode, host Drew Neiser and guests Dan Loudon (CMO, Blackbird AI), Katrina Clear (CMO, eSource), and Chris Piper discuss a shift in CMO leadership from heroic problem‑solving to system design. They share concrete examples of building repeatable content...
Studying the Connection Between Family Office Culture and Value Creation with Alexander Hayward
In this episode, Alex Hayward, Executive Fellow at London Business School, discusses how culture within family offices and investment firms drives value creation, decision quality, and long‑term impact. He shares findings from research on investment‑management team culture, highlighting differences between...
Special Episode: Inside the 2026 Work Trend Index with Matt Firestone, General Manager for Microsoft 365 Copilot and Agents
In this special episode, Microsoft 365 Copilot GM Matt Firestone breaks down the 2026 Work Trend Index, which uniquely blends survey data with trillions of anonymized telemetry signals from the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. He highlights that 49% of complex, analytical...
Communicating with Confidence When You’re Under Pressure
In this episode of Women at Work, leadership coach Muriel Wilkins discusses how to communicate effectively under pressure by prioritizing deep listening, mindfulness, and self‑awareness. She emphasizes that true listening—aimed at understanding rather than merely responding—helps prevent reactive behavior and...
Raising Cane’s Secret Recipe for Scaling, with CEO Todd Graves
In this episode of Masters of Scale, Todd Graves, co‑founder and CEO of Raising Cane’s, recounts how he turned a simple chicken‑finger concept into a multibillion‑dollar fast‑food chain. He emphasizes the power of relentless focus on a single, craveable product,...
Turning Presentations Into Persuasion
In this episode, Andrea and Claire Barrett discuss how to transform detailed presentations into persuasive conversations with senior leaders. They highlight common pitfalls—overloading slides with data, failing to anticipate audience needs, and being derailed by unexpected meeting hijacks—and stress the...
Episode 327: From Activity to Impact: The Wake-Up Call for Learning and Development Leaders
In this episode, Michael, Chief Strategy Officer at Brandon Hall Group, and Anastasia Tzimiklis, CMO of Explorance, discuss the urgent need for L&D leaders to shift from measuring learning activity to proving tangible business impact. They highlight common pitfalls such...
Lead Better -Leaders Who Ask for Your Opinion But Really Don’t Want It
In this episode of Lead Better, Scott Baker and co‑host Mikey explore the toxic habit of leaders who solicit opinions without intending to listen, a behavior that erodes trust and stifles team creativity. They discuss how repeated instances create a...
Episode 86: Dawn Claussen and Michael Young
In this episode, Dawn Claussen, COO of Mutual Group, and Michael Young, President of Integrated Advisors Network discuss how their platforms support independent financial advisors through technology, compliance, and strategic business coaching. They explain their firms' growth models—Mutual Group’s broker‑dealer...
Finding Good in the Hardest Moments with James Ferguson
In this episode, host Brandon Laws talks with James Ferguson about his new book, *Seek the Good and Celebrate*, which grew out of Ferguson’s 2021 cancer journey. Ferguson shares how the mantra of seeking good and celebrating—even during chemotherapy—led to...
Why Managing AI Is An Inclusion Problem
In this episode, Dr. Jonathan argues that managing AI should be framed as an inclusion problem rather than just a technology issue. He highlights how AI reshapes work, often replacing repetitive tasks, and notes that HR leaders are still using...
Building Blackstone, Backing Costco, with Tony James
In this episode, David Haber interviews Tony James, a veteran of DLJ and Blackstone, about the evolution of modern private markets and the principles behind building enduring firms. James recounts how DLJ grew from a tiny boutique to a top‑five...
The “Mirror Test” Every Leader Needs Before Adopting AI
In this episode, host David Rice and AI‑strategy expert Victoria Pelletier discuss why leaders must first "hold up a mirror" to understand the actual task‑level work happening in their organizations before launching AI initiatives. They explain a bottom‑up approach that...
Building Maven Clinic when No One Believed with CEO Kate Ryder
In this episode of Lifers, CEO Kate Ryder discusses the evolution of Maven Clinic, the first unicorn in women's health, focusing on the challenges of scaling from $200M to $500M in revenue and aligning every part of the business. She...
Top 10 Hiring Mistakes - #6 - The Warm Body Problem
In this episode of Manager Tools, Sarah and Mark dissect the "warm body problem," the hiring mistake of lowering standards to fill an immediate staffing gap with a minimally qualified employee. They explain how this short‑term fix backfires, leading to...
Eddie Ramos: How AI Is Reshaping Investing and Boardrooms
In this episode, Eddie Ramos—a veteran investor, board director, and ESG advocate—explores how artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping investment practices, board oversight, and capital formation. He explains AI’s rapid rise since ChatGPT’s debut, its integration into mutual funds, venture‑focused public...
How AIG Is Reinventing Insurance With AI | Peter Zaffino
In this episode, Peter Zaffino, chairman and CEO of AIG, discusses his rapid ascent through the company, the massive $33 billion underwriting loss in AIG’s core property‑and‑casualty business, and the transformative role of AI in underwriting and claims. He shares personal...
Apple After Tim Cook: Where Is It Heading? | Behind the Numbers
In this episode, analysts Yuri Wormser and Jacob Bourne dissect Tim Cook’s 15‑year tenure at Apple, highlighting his financial transformation, expansion of services, supply‑chain diversification, and cautious AI strategy. They debate whether Apple needs another "iPhone moment" or an App...
Finding Treasures in the Trash
In this debut episode of "Finding Treasures in the Trash," host Keri Jacobs-Curvetto introduces the show's premise: turning the painful, hidden parts of our lives into sources of growth and meaning. She frames anxiety, depression, and feelings of not belonging...
Best Buy’s New CEO Has a Huge Challenge Ahead | Fast Five Shorts
Best Buy announced that long‑time executive Jason Bonfig will succeed Corey Berry as CEO on October 31, 2026, after Berry’s seven‑year tenure guiding the retailer through COVID‑19, high inflation, and tariff challenges. Bonfig, a 27‑year veteran who currently oversees merchandising,...
The Jesser Business Blueprint (Feat. JesserCo President Zach Miller)
In this episode of Crater Upload, hosts Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen interview Zach Miller, President of Jesser Co., about the recent reorganization of the company and its growth strategy. Miller explains how the parent company shifted from Bucket Squad...
Space & Satellite Futures: Why I Serve, Episode 1: With Daniel Gizinski
In the inaugural "Why I Serve" episode of SSPI's Space & Satellite Futures series, Daniel Kaczynski, President of Satellite and Space Communications at Comtech, shares his career journey from engineering to corporate strategy and discusses Comtech’s role in mission‑critical communications...
#322 Graziano Cocco Performance Mental Coach - Lessons From Elite Sport for Hospitality Leaders
In this episode, Michael Tinser talks with performance mental coach Graziano Cocco, who blends elite sport psychology with hospitality leadership. Graziano shares his journey from front‑line restaurant work to coaching at Crystal Palace and other professional athletes, explaining how mental...
Banking's Reality Check: The Real Threat Is You
In this 52‑minute roundtable, Jim and Ron dissect three hot banking topics: the nuanced realities of generative and agentic AI, the strategic value of physical branches versus digital investment, and the looming "deposit war" driven by fintechs, non‑bank players, and...
Exploring Armada’s Recipe for Resilience & High-Performing Teams with Kim Hadlum, VP of Inventory Planning at Armada Supply Chain Solutions
In this episode of Unpacked, Insights, VP of Inventory Planning Kim Hadlam discusses how Armada Supply Chain Solutions builds resilient, high‑performing teams for restaurant clients. She highlights the unique challenges of food‑service inventory—perishability, yield variability, and a vast SKU mix—and...
Why AI Is Being Used As An Excuse To Stop Investing In People
In this episode, Dr. Jonathan warns that many organizations are using AI as an excuse to stop investing in their workforce, treating it as an "escape hatch" to cut training, development, and support. He highlights three core issues: the relentless...
Lead Better - Investing in Why People Stay Instead of Worrying About Why They Might Leave
In this episode of Lead Better, Scott Baker and Barbara Deske discuss the strategy of investing in why employees stay rather than obsessing over why they might leave. They highlight that while compensation and role advancement are often cited reasons...
Maria Sharapova’s Centre Court Tricks for the Boardroom
In this episode, former tennis champion Maria Sharapova discusses how the discipline, strategic planning, and high‑pressure decision‑making she honed on the court translate to the boardroom and entrepreneurship. She shares insights from her early brand deals, her role on the...
Ep299 Dan Topping CEO B.P. Marsh: Small Begets Big, Big Begets Small
In this episode, Dan Topping, CEO of BP Marsh, shares how his firm’s niche private‑equity model—making long‑term minority investments in specialty insurance brokers and MGAs—has driven compound growth over two decades. He explains the firm’s disciplined approach: backing credible, cash‑flow‑positive...
Job Requirements - Beware The Ratchet!
In this episode Sarah and Mark explain the "job requirements ratchet," a hiring dynamic where companies tighten standards in a candidate‑rich down market but fail to loosen them when the market flips and talent becomes scarce. They argue this one‑way...
386: Pace, Noise, and What's Really Blocking AI Transformation at Work, with Tom Scott, CEO of Wrike
In this episode, host Dan Turchin talks with Tom Scott, CEO of Wrike, about the challenges of AI-driven transformation in enterprise work management. Scott highlights the overwhelming pace and noise surrounding AI, emphasizing that true change requires deep context, not...