Podcasts about Harvard Business Review

Dr. Liane Davey, organizational psychologist, team advisor, New York Times bestselling author, and a sought-after keynote speaker, joins me on the latest Business Minds Coffee Chat. Liane is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review and a respected voice in the global conversation about leadership, collaboration, and conflict. Her insights have been featured by major media outlets, including CNN, NPR, USA Today, and Forbes.

Send us a textDr. Barbara Kellerman is a Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership. She was the Founding Executive Director of the Center, and a member of the Kennedy School faculty for over twenty years. Kellerman has held professorships at Fordham, Tufts, Fairleigh Dickinson, George Washington, Christopher Newport, and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. She also served as Director of the Center for the Advanced Study of Leadership at the University of Maryland.Kellerman received her B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, and her M.A. M.Phil., and Ph.D. (in Political Science) degrees from Yale University. She was awarded a Danforth Fellowship and three Fulbright fellowships. At Uppsala (1996-97), she held the Fulbright Chair in American Studies. Kellerman was cofounder of the International Leadership Association (ILA) and is author and editor of many books. Kellerman has also appeared on media outlets such as CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, Reuters, and BBC, and has contributed articles and reviews to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, and the Harvard Business Review.From 2015 to 2023 she was listed by Global Gurus as among the “World's Top 30 Management Professionals.”A Few Quotes From This Episode“Leadership is learning lifelong...just like medicine or law.”“You don't develop leaders overnight.”“Because the (leadership) industry is so profitable, nobody really wants to break up the existing model.”Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: Professionalizing Leadership by Barbara KellermanFilm: AnoraAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersBlogMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic. ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.

Disruption and transformation are the new normal in nearly every industry. So how do you stay ahead of the curve? Over the past four decades, Bonnie Hammer successfully adapted to massive changes in the media industry, rising from production assistant to leadership roles in broadcast, cable, and streaming. As the former vice chair of NBCUniversal, she has advice on how to get noticed, acquire the right skillsets, make smart decisions, and adjust to shifting corporate and market dynamics. She's the author of the book 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: …and the Truth We Need to Succeed.Key episode topics include: career transitions, leadership, managing uncertainty, decision making, innovation, entertainment industry Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: How to Navigate Change at Any Career StageFind more episodes of HBR IdeaCastDiscover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org]]>

Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle is a Senior Research Scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, US News, Science Daily, and others, and she is a regular contributor to Psychology Today and Creativity Post. Zorana studies many aspects of the creative process, including idea generation but also creative mindsets, creative self-efficacy, and the role of emotions in creativity. Her new book is called The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action. She argues that creativity is a choice--not only choosing in some abstract general way, but she gives advice about how to make creative choices throughout the creative process, from the first idea to the development of the idea. In this interview, she talks about creative mindsets, creative self-efficacy, and harnessing and managing your emotions to maximize creativity. For more information: Zorana Ivcevic Pringle's web site Music by license from SoundStripe: "Uptown Lovers Instrumental" by AFTERNOONZ "Miss Missy" by AFTERNOONZ "What's the Big Deal" by Ryan Saranich Copyright (c) 2024 Keith Sawyer

Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 750 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class and How to Win Them Back Described as having “something approaching rock star status” in her field by The New York Times Magazine, Joan C. Williams is a scholar of social inequality and a prominent public intellectual. Williams is the author of 12 books and 116 academic articles in law, sociology, psychology, medical and management journals. She is the 11th most cited legal scholar both in critical theory and employment law. She is a Sullivan Professor and the Founding Director of the Equality Action Center at UC Law San Francisco, former Founding Director of the Center for WorkLife Law. She has three TED/TEDx talks, including one with over 1.3 million views. Her 2016 essay on why Trump attracted so many non-college voters went viral, with over 3.7 million reads, becoming the most-read article in the 90-year history of Harvard Business Review. She is widely known for “bias interrupters,”—an evidence-based metrics-driven approach to eradicating implicit bias introduced in the Harvard Business Review in 2014. The website  biasinterrupters.org with open-sourced toolkits for individuals and organizations has been accessed over 500,000 times. She was profiled in Financial Times and has published on class dynamics in American politics in The New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New Republic, Politico, The Hill, the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. Her work on class includes her upcoming book Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class – And How to Win Them Back (forthcoming St. Martin's, May 2025) and her critically acclaimed 2017 book White Working Class – one of three books President Biden carried, dog-eared and annotated, during his 2020 presidential campaign, according to the Washington Post. Her work on gender includes What Works for Women at Work: Four Patterns Working Women Need to Know (NYU Press, 2014) and her prize-winning Unbending Gender: Why Family and Work Conflict and What To Do About It (Oxford, 1999). Williams' work helped create the field of work-family studies, modern workplace flexibility policies, and the study of maternal wall bias in sociology. Her work on race includes eight studies documenting how racial and gender bias play out in today's workplaces, including two focused specifically on women of color: Pinning down the Jellyfish: Racial and Gender Bias against Women in Tech (2022) and Double Jeopardy? Gender Bias against Women of Color in STEM (2014). She is a leading voice on diversity, equity, and inclusion; with her team, she has published 39 articles published in Harvard Business Review. In 2014, she launched Bias Interrupters, a data-driven approach to interrupting bias in organizations whose website has been downloaded over half a million times. Williams has received awards in several different fields. For her contributions to the legal profession, she is one of the few people to receive both the American Bar Foundation's Outstanding Scholar Award (2012) and the ABA's Margaret Brent Women Award for Lawyers of Achievement (2006).  For her contributions to the work-family field, she received the Work Life Legacy Award from the Families and Work Institute (2014) and MSOM Responsible Research Award in Operations Management (2022). For her contributions to women's advancement in engineering, she received the President's Award from the Society of Women Engineers (2019). For contributions to psychology, she received the Distinguished Publication Award from the Association for Women in Psychology (2005). Her work has been funded by three National Science Foundation grants, as well as grants from Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the W. W. Kellogg Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She holds degrees from Yale, Harvard, and MIT as well as an honorary PhD from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Join us Monday's and Thursday's at 8EST for our Twice Weekly Happy Hour Hangout's !  Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art  Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing Gift a Subscription https://www.patreon.com/PeteDominick/gift

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a business owner looking for tips to create a stronger business? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, host Tyson Mutrux explores essential strategies for entrepreneurs, focusing on copywriting, productivity, and decision-making.Copywriting can be used as an advertising tool and can reel in business if done right. Using the Copywriting Playbook, Tyson shares some tips on how to use it effectively for a business. First  is to make a specific promise, then add a vehicle or method for that promise, move on to including a timeline and then finish by anchoring it with a number. What this does is show the individual looking at your business what you are going to help them achieve or what they will get out of working with you. It is a quick and catchy tagline that will entice the individual.Tyson also provides some tips on how a business owner can make effective business decisions. One tip is that you only need 51% certainty to make a decision. If you have a bunch of decisions up in the air and you don't know what move to make, if you are more than sure on which direction to go, follow it. Don't take more than 48 hours to make a decision on anything for your business. Another tip is to hire someone based on 3 questions: What specific result will this person own? How do they move the firm forward? Should this role be done in-house or outsourced? If you can answer these questions, you are ready to hire.Take a listen to learn more!2:18 Breakdown of effective copywriting strategies12:38 Tips for faster, more effective business decisions20:07 Harvard Business Review study on productivity34:16 How AI is changing job applicationsTune in to today's episode and checkout the full show notes here. 

Israa Nasir is a psychotherapist, speaker, writer, and the founder of WellGuide, a digital platform dedicated to making mental health tools accessible to all. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Time, and Harvard Business Review, and her new book, Toxic Productivity, helps readers reclaim their time and emotional energy in a world that constantly asks for more. Today, Israa shares how her own pursuit of achievement nearly cost her the things that mattered most. She opens up about growing up between cultures, how her family's story shaped her understanding of success, and the moment she realized she needed to make a change. We also explore the concept of toxic productivity, why so many of us fall into it, and what it actually takes to break free. My friends, if you've ever felt guilty for resting, struggled to say no, or questioned your worth when you're not "doing enough," this conversation is for you. You'll leave with practical tools to quiet your inner critic, make space for joy and rest, and define success on your own terms.

In a Harvard Business Review article titled “The Power of Mattering at Work,” the authors introduced a profound way to help your teammates realize that their work matters. They labeled the concept laddering.  This concept originated when NASA was trying to put a man on the moon. One of NASA's leaders, Owen Maynard, wrote on ... The post Laddering appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

What if the key to lasting success isn't just about hiring the right people, but also about letting them go the right way? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius chats with Robert Glazer, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and former CEO of Acceleration Partners, about building a culture of trust, transparency, and long-term relationships. Robert shares insights from his new book, “Rethinking Two Weeks' Notice: Changing The Way Employees Leave Companies For The Better,” and discusses how his company helps employees transition into roles that truly fit their strengths. He also highlights why open conversations, fair treatment, and positive departures can turn former employees into future clients. In this episode, Darius and Robert will discuss: (00:00) Introduction to Robert Glazer and His Work (02:59) The Evolution of Company Culture (06:20) Rethinking Employee Departures (10:57) The Changing Landscape of Employment (14:10) The Future of Remote Work (21:13) Transitioning Leadership in Business (25:25) Navigating Remote Work Challenges (30:02) Understanding Employee Engagement and Disengagement (35:13) Implementing Open Transition Programs (39:55) The Importance of Leaving Well Robert Glazer is the founder and Chairman of Acceleration Partners, a globally recognized partner marketing agency known for its award-winning company culture. A bestselling author, he has written “Elevate,” “Friday Forward,” and “How to Thrive in the Virtual Workplace,” along with his widely read Friday Forward newsletter. As a sought-after keynote speaker, Robert has appeared on the TEDx stage and hosts the Elevate Podcast. His insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. Passionate about leadership and growth, he helps individuals and organizations reach their full potential. Sponsored by: Constant Contact: Try Constant Contact free for 30 days at constantcontact.com. IDEO U: Enroll today and get 15% off sitewide at ideou.com/greatness.  Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/DARIUS. Shopify: Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/darius.  Connect with Robert: Website: https://robertglazer.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glazer  Twitter: https://x.com/robert_glazer  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertglazer_/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When news breaks of a CEO succession, much of the attention is given to the new leader and how they will change the company. But new research shows that the leave-taking process of the outgoing chief executive is often mishandled, with negative impacts on succession and the organization. Rebecca Slan Jerusalim, an executive director at Russell Reynolds Associates, and Navio Kwok, a leadership advisor at RRA, say that boards are often surprised when a CEO gives notice, and they often make that person feel excluded during the handoff process. The researchers share stories from the front lines about CEO psychology, best practices for outgoing leaders and their boards, and broader lessons for effective transitions. Jerusalim and Kwok wrote the HBR article “The Vital Role of the Outgoing CEO.” Key episode topics include: leadership transitions, succession planning, leadership, managing uncertainty, corporate communications, boards Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Why We Should Pay More Attention to Departing CEOsFind more episodes of HBR IdeaCastDiscover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org]]>

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.comDo you feel like there's a stark and nasty choice when it comes to power at work: be an arrogant narcissist and win – or a nice guy and lose? Listen as executive coaches Ed Batista and Michael Wenderoth discuss why it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth chats with Ed about how rising professionals and executives need to expand their thinking about power, and the cost of “opting-out” of power struggles at work. They explore motivational needs theory, ethics, balance – and the need for self-awareness – to make yourself a more effective leader. By the end of this episode, you'll understand what it means to be on the dance floor and up on the balcony, and leave with a more nuanced understanding of influence and power. SHOW NOTES:Two history majors in college go into corporate careers and then meet at Stanford Business School“You're talented, but you have some rough edges”: What first drew Ed to Executive CoachingWhy Ed gravitated to 1-1 coachingHow coaching helped Ed: Having influence and impact, but doing so without alienating people.When Ed starts working with clients, how power dynamics shows up and presents itselfHow people can expand their thinking about power and reframe their relationship with itAffiliation, Achievement, Power and Impulse Control – understanding levers that can increase or decrease your ability to influence as a leader, at scalePower vs InfluenceEthics and Opting Out=: “if you abandon the field of power and influence to unethical people, you know what the results are going to be”Finding the balance as a leader: Being directive and relying on personal capabilities vs motivating othersSelf-awareness about your influence goals and behaviors“The dance floor and the balcony”: gaining perspectiveEd's view on 360 reviews BIO AND LINKS:Ed Batista has been an executive coach since 2006, working with senior leaders who are facing a challenge or would like to be more effective or fulfilled in their roles. He also spent 15 years as a Lecturer and Leadership Coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Most of Ed's clients are technology company CEOs, but he works with leaders in fields from investing to healthcare. Issues he addresses with clients include managing relationships with key employees, improving leadership team dynamics, transitioning from technical expert to leader, evolving company culture, and better self-care. Ed's work as a coach began after a 15-year career in management, during which he took two years off to earn an MBA at Stanford and helped launch three new organizations. He writes about coaching and related issues at www.edbatista.com. Ed is married to Amy Wright, and they lived in San Francisco from 1990 to 2020, when they relocated to a farm 40 miles north of the city. In addition to his MBA, Ed earned a BA in History, magna cum laude, from Brown University.Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edbatista/Ed's website and blog: https://www.edbatista.com/about.htmlPower Struggles Among Nice People: https://www.edbatista.com/2022/03/power-struggles-among-nice-people.htmlEd's Coach: The great Mary Ann Huckabay, PhD https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-huckabay-51881011/Prof Jeffrey Pfeffer at Stanford: https://jeffreypfeffer.comDavid McClelland's's work on need for power and motivational needs theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_powerFREE resource: Ways to reconceive and reframe your negative associations with power (PDF visual from Michael's Book., Get Promoted (Chapter 3, 5 Dangerous Myths That De-rail Careers): https://changwenderoth.com/audiobook-resources/Fun Flashback, April 2016: When Michael and Ed authored the two most popular articles of the month, in Harvard Business Review – https://hbr.org/2016/04/great-leaders-embrace-office-politics and https://hbr.org/2016/04/how-to-not-fight-with-your-spouse-when-you-get-home-from-work97% Effective, Now on video, here: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffectiveMichael's Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That's Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A Harvard Business Review article on the Power of Mattering at Work told a story about Jane, a custodian. Jane longed to be more than just a janitor, until her supervisor shared a different perspective.  This supervisor showed Jane the definition of custodian that said, “A person responsible for looking after something.” This wise ... The post Mattering at Work appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

La Inteligencia Artificial avanza más rápido de lo que podemos imaginar. Pero mientras nos deslumbramos con sus beneficios, también empezamos a ver su lado más oscuro y peligroso.En este episodio de Futuro en Construcción, exploramos el lado más preocupante. Porque es una herramienta poderosa, capaz de transformar nuestra vida personal y laboral. Pero también puede volverse un riesgo grande. Y lo peor que podemos hacer frente a eso es no entender los peligros o mirar para otro lado.Este video no es para asustarte, sino para ayudarte a pensar. ¿Qué riesgos reales existen, cómo mitigarlos, y qué decisiones urgentes necesitamos tomar como sociedad… y como individuos?

SummaryWe live in an age of unprecedented communication tools, yet misunderstandings and conflicts online seem more common than ever. In this episode, we learn from Professor Andrew Brodsky, a management professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of "PING: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication." Drawing from his personal experience with isolation due to illness and his extensive research, Professor Brodsky shares the science behind effective virtual communication. You'll discover his PING framework for better online interactions, learn why we consistently overestimate our ability to convey emotion through text, and get practical advice for avoiding the most common digital communication pitfalls. This episode will help you become not just a better communicator online, but a more thoughtful and gracious person in all your virtual interactions.About Our GuestDr. Andrew Brodsky is a management professor at The University of Texas at Austin in the McCombs School of Business.By implementing his own research-driven methods, he has won multiple research and teaching awards, including Poets & Quants Best 40 Under 40 MBA Professors in the world. Andrew's expertise on virtual interactions and organization communication led him to publish the book Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication and form the Ping Group. His goal is to help organizations leverage research-based approaches that will enable their employees to improve all types of interactions and communication.Andrew has consulted, conducted training, and given keynote talks around the world. His research on workplace interactions has been published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals, and he has been regularly quoted for his expertise in major media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The Economist, and Reuters.Useful LinksAndrew Brodsky - Personal & Book Website: https://abrodsky.comPing Group Consulting: https://pinggroup.org/Expert Tips for Better Virtual Communication: https://www.pcma.org/expert-tips-for-better-virtual-communication/Pleasant Pictures MusicJoin the Pleasant Pictures Music Club to get unlimited access to high-quality, royalty-free music for all of your projects. Use the discount code HOWTOHELP15 for 15% off your first year.

In this episode of Asking For A Friend with TalkDoc, co-hosts Dr. Pamela Kreiser, Meredith Edwards Nagel, and Teighlor Polendo explore the art of giving feedback. Reflecting on the discomfort of receiving harsh feedback, they present two effective strategies for providing constructive criticism without triggering defensive reactions— the Positive Feedback Sandwich and the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) technique. Alongside discussing research insights from Gottman and the Harvard Business Review, the hosts offer practical examples and scenarios to illustrate these strategies in action, aiming to improve communication and relationships.  Music by epidemic sound. SHOW NOTES: Experts :  Dr. John Gottman Resources : Harvard Business Review Tools :  Positive Feedback Sandwich (Mary Kay Ash) 3-part formula: Positive comment Constructive feedback Positive/supportive closing SBI Tool - Situation, Behavior, Impact (Center for Creative Leadership) Situation – When/where the behavior happened. Behavior – What the person did (specific & observable). Impact – How it affected you or others.

EPISODE SUMMARY Join scientist and mindset & high-performance coach Claudia Garbutt and Author Noel Massie for another Leaders Are Readers Wired For Success Book Club feature and author interview! If you're looking for leadership advice to help you build great teams and an inspiring company culture, this book is for you!   In this episode, we talk about: -       How to become a great leader -       Integrity vs ethics -       Building trust & an inspiring company culture   EPISODE NOTES Noel Massie served as Vice President of UPS's U.S. Operations from 2016-2019. In this role, Massie supported and guided the package delivery and logistics services in the United States. Prior to his service as VP, he held various positions within the organization, including: •           President of three separate business units – Chicago, Virginia, California •           Operations Division Manager – Distribution centers •           Corporate Schools Coordinator – Curriculum development for internal leadership schools Currently, Noel is a member of three Boards: •           The Annenberg Foundation – a $1.7 billion endowment, Noel serves on their investment committee helping to guide investment strategy. •           The Los Angeles Urban Leagues Executive Committee – Noel has served as the Board Chairman for nine years. •           Chapter One US – Noel serves as the Global Advisory Chair.   Massie has previously on served Boards of the following organizations: •           Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce (Board Chair) •           Inland Empire Economic Partnership, Southern California •           Orange County Business Counci, Southern California •           Los Angeles United Way •           UCLA of Luskin School of Public Policy •           Chicago Workforce Board   Noel has been recognized for his commitment to the communities where he has lived and worked with a variety of honors and rewards, including: •           100 Most Influential Leaders Award, Orange County, Southern California •           Spirit of Entrepreneur Award, California State University, San Bernardino •           NAWBO Man of the Year Award (National Association of Women Business Owners) •           Peter Drucker School of Management Supply Chain Leadership Award •           Community Service Award, Office of the Mayor, Los Angeles •           Community Service Award, Office of the Mayor, Chicago Massie has been featured in publications such as the L.A. Times, the Orange County Register, Door to Door (written by Edward Humes), and the Harvard Business Review. Massie has been a keynote speaker at a wide range of notable conferences and events. For more information about Noel's availability to speak at events, visit his contact page. He's also the author of “Congrats! You've Been Promoted: An Essential Guide for Helping New Leaders and Their Teams Succeed”.   Links:   Book: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Noel-Massie/dp/1637633998   Website: noelmassie.com https://www.instagram.com/noellmassie/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/noel-massie-8b7511a/   ------------ Click this link to listen on your favorite podcast player and if you enjoy the show, please leave a rating & review: https://linktr.ee/wiredforsuccess ------------------   Music credit: Vittoro by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)   -----------------   Disclaimer: Podcast Episodes might contain sponsored content.    

In this encore episode of Building Better Managers, host Wendy Hanson discusses the importance of self-care for leaders with management consultant Liz Kislik. They explore effective time management strategies, the distinction between empathy and compassion, and the structural solutions that can support self-care in the workplace. The conversation emphasizes the need for leaders to model self-care, manage their time effectively, and navigate conflicts with compassion and action. Listeners are encouraged to take actionable steps to improve their leadership and team dynamics. Key takeaways: Self-care is essential for effective leadership. Good calendar management helps reduce stress. Meetings should allow for breaks and reflection. Empathy is about feeling; compassion is about action. Structural changes can support self-care in organizations. Conflict avoidance can lead to increased stress. Taking small steps can lead to significant changes. Walking meetings can enhance creativity and reduce stress. Focus on positive outcomes to foster a better environment. Leaders should model self-care for their teams. Meet Liz: Liz is an accomplished management consultant and executive coach with over 30 years of experience in developing high-performing leaders and workforces. Known for her expertise in conflict resolution and improving workplace dynamics, Liz is a respected thought leader and contributor to renowned publications such as Harvard Business Review and Forbes. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies including American Express, Girl Scouts, Staples, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Highlights for Children, Liz serves as a valued advisor, leveraging her wealth of experience to drive their success. Follow Liz: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizkislik/ Website - http://www.lizkislik.com/ Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite podcast platform! Do you enjoy our show? One of the best ways to help us out is leave a 5-star review on your platform of choice! It's easy - just go here: https://www.newlevelwork.com/review For more information, please visit the New Level Work website. https://www.newlevelwork.com/category/podcast © 2019 - 2025 New Level Work

In a Harvard Business Review article titled “The Power of Mattering at Work,” the authors make a distinction between belonging and mattering. The authors contend that we may desire to belong to a group, but we have a more fundamental need to matter.  They define belonging as feeling welcomed and accepted in a group, while ... The post Belonging vs Mattering appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Is AI replacing marketers, or just helping bad marketers move faster?In this episode, we're joined by Eric Siu, founder of Single Grain, host of  ⁨@LevelingUpOfficial⁩ , and advisor to some of the biggest SaaS companies, to debate how AI is changing marketing right now.Eric breaks down the AI workflows his agency uses to cut content production time by 90%, including how they generated 21 blog posts in 30 minutes. But it's not magic. We dive into where AI works, where it still fails, and why human editors are still a critical part of the process.We discuss: 00:00 Intro00:57 Growing an Agency in an AI World05:23 What Can AI Actually Be Used for Right Now? 09:30 21 Blog Posts in 30 Minutes: Real or Slop?13:11 The Role of Human Editors in AI Content15:52 AI Tools Reshaping Marketing23:54 Agency Value in the Age of AI30:25 AI for Scheduling, Note-Taking, and Automation44:03 Gamifying SOPs with AI46:57 One-Click Internal Linking50:53 The Personal Brand Machine (And How AI Supercharges It)58:50 AI-Powered LinkedIn Ads & ABM01:08:07 OutroWe hope you enjoyed this episode of Ahrefs Podcast! As always, be sure to like and subscribe (and tell a friend). ⸻Where to find Eric:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericosiu/X: @ericosiuWebsites: https://www.singlegrain.com/https://karrot.ai/https://www.levelingup.com/Where to find Tim:LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsoulo/)X: @timsouloWebsite: https://www.timsoulo.com/

Marc Zao-Sanders reveals the key to breaking the cycle of overwhelm with a power tool that makes a huge difference.— YOU'LL LEARN — 1) How to prune your to-do list effectively2) How to use timeboxing to plan your day with intention3) The art of choosing breaksSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1071 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT MARC — Marc Zao-Sanders is the CEO and co-founder of filtered.com, a learning tech company. He regularly writes about algorithms, learning and productivity in Scientific American, Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. He has followed the practice of timeboxing for over ten years. He lives in London. • Book: Timeboxing: The Power of Doing One Thing at a Time by Marc Zao-Sanders • Podcast: The ADHD Skills Lab Harvard Business Review Article: "How Timeboxing Works and Why It Will Make You More Productive"• LinkedIn: Marc Zao-Sanders • Website: MarcZaoSanders.com — RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Study: "Implementation Intentions and Goal Pursuit" by Peter M. Gollwitzer and Veronika Brandstätter • Article: “To-Do Lists Don't Work” by Daniel Markovitz• Book: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand• Book: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan• Book: Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy• Book: Winning the Week: How To Plan A Successful Week, Every Week by Demir Bentley• Past episode: 038: Establishing the Essential with Greg McKeown• Past episode: 080: Finding and Doing the One Thing with Jay Papasan• Past episode: 2024 GREATS: 935: The Five Steps to Winning Every Week with Demir Bentley— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome• Plaud.ai. Use the code AWESOME and get a discount on your order• Rula. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at Rula.com/AwesomeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we are joined by Chris Littlefield.Christopher Littlefield is an International and TEDx Speaker, an Expert in Employee Appreciation, Workplace Culture and the founder of [Beyond Thank You](http://www.beyondthankyou.com/). He has trained thousands of leaders, across six continents, on how to understand what their people want and need to be at their best. His clients include Accenture, Boston Medical, Lebanese Postal Service, MIT Sloan School of Management, Reserve Bank of Australia, Salesforce, the U.S. Army, the United Nations, and more.  His work has been featured in New York, Inc, Mindful, and British Psychologies Magazines, and profiled in Harvard Business Review. Chris is a regular contributor to [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherlittlefield/?sh=532bbc1e7924) and [Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/2019/10/how-to-give-and-receive-compliments-at-work) and the author of the bestselling book, [75+Team Building Activities for Remote Teams.]In this episode, we explore how silence in the workplace doesn't mean satisfaction and why many leaders are blindsided when their top performers leave. Chris reveals the subtle signs of disengagement that leaders often miss and provides practical frameworks for conducting "stay conversations" that keep valuable employees engaged long before they consider leaving.Key topics include:Why top performers often don't voice concerns and how this creates leadership blind spotsThe three early warning signs of employee disengagementHow to conduct effective "stay conversations" at key career triggers and milestonesStrategies for shifting from seeing difficult conversations as risks to viewing them as strategic advantagesThe art of giving and receiving compliments in professional settings without discomfortChris's inverted pyramid framework: appreciating, acknowledging, recognizing, rewarding, and awardingHow recognition differs in remote and hybrid work environmentsUsing reflective recognition and positive probing to uncover what employees truly want to be recognized forWhether you're struggling with employee retention, looking to improve team engagement, or wanting to build a more appreciative workplace culture, Chris's insights provide practical tools for transforming everyday interactions into powerful relationship-building moments.Chris Littlefield's Company: https://beyondthankyou.com/ Chris Littlefield's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-littlefield/ -Website and live online programs: http://ims-online.com Blog: https://blog.ims-online.com/ Podcast: https://ims-online.com/podcasts/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesgood/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/charlesgood99 Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:15) Tool: Understanding How Conflict Resolution Led to Recognition Expertise(03:15) Technique: Recognizing the Three Early Warning Signs of Disengagement(06:35) Tip: Conducting Stay Conversations at Key Career Triggers(10:55) Tool: Shifting from Risk Mindset to Strategic Advantage in Difficult Conversations(14:25) Technique: Creating a Workplace Culture Where Appreciation is Openly Embraced(18:00) Tip: Avoiding Recognition Pitfalls Like Butter Them Up and Sandwich Feedback(20:25) Tool: The Inverted Pyramid Framework for Recognition and Appreciation(23:50) Technique: Adapting Recognition Strategies for Remote and Hybrid Teams(26:45) Tip: Using Reflective Recognition and Positive Probing to Uncover Hidden Contributions(27:58) Conclusion#CharlesGood #ChrisLittlefield #TheGoodLeadershipPodcast #WorkplaceRecognition #EmployeeEngagement #StayConversations #WorkplaceAppreciation #EmployeeRetention #RemoteTeamRecognition #ConflictPrevention #LeadershipCommunication #TeamEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeFeedback #PositiveWorkplace #RecognitionStrategy #AppreciationCulture #HybridWorkplace #EmployeeExperience #LeadershipDevelopment

The Fractal Truth of Leadership: Perry Marshall on 80/20, Chaos, and Reinvention What if the one thing sabotaging your leadership... is your addiction to doing too much of what doesn't matter? . You've heard of the 80/20 Rule. But what if I told you it's not just a rule... It's a recursive law of nature that governs your time, your team… and your destiny. In this explosive episode of The Dov Baron Show, I sit down with Perry Marshall, the Harvard Business Review-published strategist whose 80/20 model is now used by NASA's Jet Propulsion Labs, backed by MIT scientists, and anchored in a $10 million Evolution 2.0 science prize announced at The Royal Society in London. . He's been called one of the most expensive business consultants in the world. But what he teaches will cost you far more if you ignore it. . Because this isn't about productivity hacks. It's about the existential math of impact. . It's about how to shed identities you've outgrown, how to navigate resistance as a signpost, and how to use mathematical truth as a diagnostic lens for leadership. . If you're not just building a company, but forging a legacy! This is your mirror. And your wake-up call. . In This Episode:

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3648: Jay Harrington highlights how reclaiming your weekends with intentional planning and “microadventures” can replicate the restorative benefits of a vacation without ever leaving town. By shifting your mindset and embracing simple, local experiences, you can boost happiness, reduce stress, and start each week more refreshed and energized. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.lifeandwhim.com/first-moments-blog/2019/plan-microadventures Quotes to ponder: "Rather than waiting all year for a two-week vacation to roll around, why not realize these benefits during the two-day vacation that's waiting for you every weekend?" "Those who treated the weekend as if it was a vacation were significantly happier when Monday arrived than those that didn't." "Something different, something exciting, but cheap, simple, short, and on your doorstep." Episode references: Boston Consulting Group productivity research (via Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2009/10/making-time-off-predictable-and-required Alastair Humphreys' Microadventures Blog: https://alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if your next job title was “AI Taste Director”—or you were the last human left in your department?This week, Isar Meitis takes a sharp and provocative look at the future of jobs in the AI era. With headlines touting 70% of job skills changing by 2030, and executive surveys showing rising AI adoption—but lagging implementation—it's time to separate the hype from the real ROI.Spoiler: creativity isn't going anywhere—but how it's used (and who gets paid for it) is changing fast.Whether you're a founder, C-suite exec, or strategist building future-ready teams, this deep dive cuts through the noise to give you data-backed insights, plus frameworks to upskill yourself and your org—before the automation tidal wave hits.In this session, you'll discover:What three categories of future jobs are emerging—and why “taste” is your new superpowerThe myth vs. reality behind AI "creating more jobs than it kills"Why AI auditors and integrators are transitional—not permanent—rolesHow one visionary can now replace an entire creative or ops departmentThe truth about “proactive, context-aware AI assistants” and what Sam Altman envisions nextShocking findings from Harvard Business Review and MIT on AI's ROI and wage collapse predictionsWhat 68% of professionals are using AI for right now—and why many execs are still guessingWhy emotional intelligence and strategic thinking may be the last defensible human skillsTools, courses, and training every business leader needs to stay relevantAbout Leveraging AI The Ultimate AI Course for Business People: https://multiplai.ai/ai-course/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Multiplai_AI/ Connect with Isar Meitis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isarmeitis/ Join our Live Sessions, AI Hangouts and newsletter: https://services.multiplai.ai/events If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3648: Jay Harrington highlights how reclaiming your weekends with intentional planning and “microadventures” can replicate the restorative benefits of a vacation without ever leaving town. By shifting your mindset and embracing simple, local experiences, you can boost happiness, reduce stress, and start each week more refreshed and energized. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.lifeandwhim.com/first-moments-blog/2019/plan-microadventures Quotes to ponder: "Rather than waiting all year for a two-week vacation to roll around, why not realize these benefits during the two-day vacation that's waiting for you every weekend?" "Those who treated the weekend as if it was a vacation were significantly happier when Monday arrived than those that didn't." "Something different, something exciting, but cheap, simple, short, and on your doorstep." Episode references: Boston Consulting Group productivity research (via Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2009/10/making-time-off-predictable-and-required Alastair Humphreys' Microadventures Blog: https://alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3648: Jay Harrington highlights how reclaiming your weekends with intentional planning and “microadventures” can replicate the restorative benefits of a vacation without ever leaving town. By shifting your mindset and embracing simple, local experiences, you can boost happiness, reduce stress, and start each week more refreshed and energized. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.lifeandwhim.com/first-moments-blog/2019/plan-microadventures Quotes to ponder: "Rather than waiting all year for a two-week vacation to roll around, why not realize these benefits during the two-day vacation that's waiting for you every weekend?" "Those who treated the weekend as if it was a vacation were significantly happier when Monday arrived than those that didn't." "Something different, something exciting, but cheap, simple, short, and on your doorstep." Episode references: Boston Consulting Group productivity research (via Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2009/10/making-time-off-predictable-and-required Alastair Humphreys' Microadventures Blog: https://alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we unpack The Optimist, the new Sam Altman biography; revisit OpenAI's early days; and break down Coatue's AI strategy deck. Plus, tips for squeezing in side projects between thought leadership presentations. Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode 526 (https://www.youtube.com/live/1CnmEwdH6ME?si=64oVGDyCvXdzJeIj) Runner-up Titles Flow State Altman and AI Day 2 Thinking Growth Mindset Less of you You don't need a Harvard Business Review subscription to know that Running unnecessary hardware in your house Lifelong Costco member here. Pre-populate Everything There's no ROI on a good hotdog Rundown AI Native vs. AI Add-on (https://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/525) AI Frenzy The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future (https://www.amazon.com/Optimist-Altman-OpenAI-Invent-Future/dp/1324075961?tag=googhydr-20&hvqmt=&hvbmt=%7BBidMatchType%7D&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_8w2bwd161h_e) Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab valued at $10bn after $2bn fundraising (https://www.ft.com/content/9edc67e6-96a9-4d2b-820d-57bc1279e358) ChatGPT's Enterprise Success Against Copilot Fuels OpenAI and Microsoft's Rivalry (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-24/chatgpt-vs-copilot-inside-the-openai-and-microsoft-rivalry) Iyo vs. Io — OpenAI and Jony Ive get sued (https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/06/23/iyo-vs-io-openai-and-jony-ive-get-sued/) Zuckerberg Leads AI Recruitment Blitz Armed With $100 Million Pay Packages (https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-recruiting-mark-zuckerberg-5c231f75) After trying to buy Ilya Sutskever's $32B AI startup, Meta looks to hire its CEO (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/20/after-trying-to-buy-ilya-sutskevers-32b-ai-startup-meta-looks-to-hire-its-ceo/) Message from CEO Andy Jassy: Some thoughts on Generative AI (https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-on-generative-ai) Clouded Judgement 6.19.25 - The Dropping Cost of Intelligence (https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/p/clouded-judgement-61925-the-dropping?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48bf3cef-6d79-4e10-8bb4-ccf48a08341b_1189x729.png&open=false) Coatue's 2025 EMW Keynote Replay (https://www.coatue.com/blog/company-update/coatues-2025-emw-keynote-replay) Slides in online PDF (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Srl8Y4pBoKtNVYZBxmfj2TEMYM5tp1mE/view) Coatue's Laffont Brothers. AI, Public & VC Mkts, Macro, US Debt, Crypto, IPO's, & more (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JA7n0wTChw) Agents and the Web Remote MCP support in Claude Code (https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-code-remote-mcp) Agentforce 3, it's agents all the way down. (https://siliconangle.com/2025/06/23/salesforce-launches-agentforce-3-greater-ai-agent-visibility-connectivity/) Google Cloud donates A2A to Linux Foundation- Google Developers Blog (https://developers.googleblog.com/en/google-cloud-donates-a2a-to-linux-foundation/) Linux Foundation Appoints Jonathan Bryce as Executive Director, Cloud & Infrastructure and Chris Aniszczyk as CTO, Cloud & Infrastructure to Oversee Major Open Source Initiatives (https://www.cncf.io/announcements/2025/06/24/linux-foundation-appoints-jonathan-bryce-as-executive-director-cloud-infrastructure-and-chris-aniszczyk-as-cto-cloud-infrastructure-to-oversee-major-open-source-initiatives/) Relevant to your Interests Amazon orders employees to relocate to Seattle and other hubs (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-orders-employees-relocate-seattle-212945920.html) Microsoft announces advancement in quantum error correction (https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2025/06/microsoft-announces-advancement-quantum-error-correction/406175/) Datadog DASH: A Revolving Door Of Operations And Security Announcements (https://www.forrester.com/blogs/datadog-dash-a-revolving-door-of-operations-and-security-announcements/) the six-month recap: closing talk on AI at Web Directions, Melbourne, June 2025 (https://ghuntley.com/six-month-recap/) Snap acquires Saturn, a social calendar app for high school and college students (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/20/snap-acquires-saturn-a-social-calendar-app-for-high-school-and-college-students/) Frequent reauth doesn't make you more secure (https://tailscale.com/blog/frequent-reauth-security?ck_subscriber_id=512840665&utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%5BLast%20Week%20in%20AWS%5D%20Issue%20#428:%20One%20UI%20Gets%20Fixed,%20Another%20Falls%20-%2018055641) Checking In on AI and the Big Five (https://stratechery.com/2025/checking-in-on-ai-and-the-big-five/?access_token=eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6InN0cmF0ZWNoZXJ5LnBhc3Nwb3J0Lm9ubGluZSIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJhdWQiOiJzdHJhdGVjaGVyeS5wYXNzcG9ydC5vbmxpbmUiLCJhenAiOiJIS0xjUzREd1Nod1AyWURLYmZQV00xIiwiZW50Ijp7InVyaSI6WyJodHRwczovL3N0cmF0ZWNoZXJ5LmNvbS8yMDI1L2NoZWNraW5nLWluLW9uLWFpLWFuZC10aGUtYmlnLWZpdmUvIl19LCJleHAiOjE3NTMyODQ4NzAsImlhdCI6MTc1MDY5Mjg3MCwiaXNzIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hcHAucGFzc3BvcnQub25saW5lL29hdXRoIiwic2NvcGUiOiJmZWVkOnJlYWQgYXJ0aWNsZTpyZWFkIGFzc2V0OnJlYWQgY2F0ZWdvcnk6cmVhZCBlbnRpdGxlbWVudHMiLCJzdWIiOiIxNjY4NDg4My04NTYzLTQ1ZGEtYjVhYy1hYWY2MmEyYzZhZTciLCJ1c2UiOiJhY2Nlc3MifQ.rg-oA59aKciV6Pvwn1GezC8ElCYxg92wPMQ9ORYS5KXLFvsuSRlJj1hjn9rlcpqmY3BtiPSHpPHDC1Sos9J5ZIPaW3Rn7o-5Yu6Rn_0HyGkqHUSCAsU36SZ-9Q9bf7Ibd_fWcRN7G6nuIe2j0OMURacJ30W3jMm6_dBtR-IacPllW7q6yDxlDW-pX50I_xhZ_pZfTa7B7HXimMTOWiJ5S-uddGLDOOqxihxgIa3w96SnK7wiiyx5bwe5r0A7IQBvHOe5yVzrTSOxm5DBSZJwbGx_f36MzDGPtdwsMOojbs3yN5gWRZnlre6h1GkiukeAXHqXTWImfUfxyBS1ebOjOQ) U.S. House tells staffers not to use Meta's WhatsApp (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/23/meta-whatsapp-us-house.html) How AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux Have Diverged Since CentOS (https://thenewstack.io/how-almalinux-and-rocky-linux-have-diverged-since-centos/) AI search finds publishers starved of referral traffic (https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/22/ai_search_starves_publishers/) 10 years of platform engineering at SIXT: Lessons in scaling and innovation - Boyan Dimitrov (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtxWxkehkPE) What Would a Kubernetes 2.0 Look Like (https://matduggan.com/what-would-a-kubernetes-2-0-look-like/) kubectl-ai (https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubectl-ai) Nonsense Costco Executive Members get extended hours (https://www.axios.com/2025/06/19/costco-hours-executive-members-early-shopping) Listener Feedback Warp (https://www.warp.dev/future) Conferences CF Day EU (https://events.linuxfoundation.org/cloud-foundry-day-europe/), Frankfurt, October 7th, 2025. SpringOne (https://www.vmware.com/explore/us/springone?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cote), Las Vegas, August 25th to 28th, 2025. See Coté's pitch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_xOudsmUmk). Explore 2025 US (https://www.vmware.com/explore/us?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cote), Las Vegas, August 25th to 28th, 2025. See Coté's pitch (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-COoeIJcFN4). Texas Linux Fest (https://2025.texaslinuxfest.org), Austin, October 3rd to 4th. CFP closes August 3rd (https://www.papercall.io/txlf2025). SDT News & Community Join our Slack community (https://softwaredefinedtalk.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-1hn55iv5d-UTfN7mVX1D9D5ExRt3ZJYQ#/shared-invite/email) Email the show: questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Free stickers: Email your address to stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Follow us on social media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/softwaredeftalk), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@softwaredefinedtalk), Mastodon (https://hachyderm.io/@softwaredefinedtalk), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/software-defined-talk/), BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/softwaredefinedtalk.com) Watch us on: Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/sdtpodcast), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3OJPV6h9tp-hbsGBLGsDQ/featured), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/softwaredefinedtalk/), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@softwaredefinedtalk) Book offer: Use code SDT for $20 off "Digital WTF" by Coté (https://leanpub.com/digitalwtf/c/sdt) Sponsor the show (https://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/ads): ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Recommendations Brandon: Discount Tire (https://www.discounttire.com/) Coté: Brimstone Angels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brimstone_Angels) Rebels of Reason: The Long Road from Aristotle to ChatGPT and AI's Heroes Who Kept the Faith (https://www.amazon.com/Rebels-Reason-Aristotle-ChatGPT-Heroes/dp/B0FCD969SD?crid=2KBTZJS1P49C2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.E2MZsF2Qb-y8u2F4mRTKt5KT39pbgvp_DiV9oA2bPgsqqPJMqdRhIlFh_wyf9wTvia5jPoenX4kfS9HWQAdt5LdXt4zy3NiHbluCozW2B0KUya8M4uCGKdxInNb6npHqJlko7hFE8pzIKtF1X8hJlk02C6nmAb1PN-MsiNB4mZVoFLa9KIFS1Y7zJ8QVc-K5ICucbOAsm6rH-ZgsoyiaO4eFT8-qlzMYHxM4TxUyXx8.hl_-MoO-eXVVzohj3CN42fh3IIQ5wWuiss_O0iiLuHI&dib_tag=se&keywords=John+Willis&qid=1750401917&sprefix=john+will,aps,186&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=coteicomthecoteb&linkId=5da48a792d65369c5b69ff1b351b16d6&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl) Photo Credits Header (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/Flow?license=free&orientation=landscape)

Welcome back to Pause Stop Reset, the podcast where we explore the moments in life that lead to breakthroughs, growth, and transformation.  Today, I'm joined by a friend who really needs no introduction if you've spent any time in the world of online business, marketing, or audience building. That is the one and only Ryan Levesque. Ryan Levesque is a 7-time Inc. 5000 CEO & Founder, and 2-time #1 National Best-selling Author. He's generated over $100M in revenue and has successfully sold two of his companies. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and NBC News. Today he serves as a Strategic Advisor to multiple businesses, is working on his next book, and writes a weekly email newsletter “The Digital Contrarian” offering Unconventional Business Wisdom to over 100,000+ subscribers. He and his wife and two boys live an extraordinary life on their family farm, where they actively raise and grow their own food and conserve the land using regenerative, holistic practices. Learn more about Ryan Levesque at https://ryanlevesque.net/the-digital-contrarian/ -- The host and creator of this podcast is Simon Hedley. Building on his strong background in banking, business & strategy he's passionate about learning, sharing, and making the difference to people and projects. As “The Strategic Alchemist™” he's been the secret weapon of many well-known leaders, founders and thought leaders for over two decades. If you want to grow and scale your business connect with Simon and especially www.TheFiveConnections.com You can learn more about Simon at www.SimonHedley.com ,  connect and follow him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/mrsimonhedley , or www.Instagram.com/thesimonhedley, and you can book a consulting call with him at book.simonhedley.com Remember at www.PauseStopReset.com you can find out more about Pause Stop Reset, how to access The Podcast Portal and get more resources to help you on your journey including the Journal and Book. Simon is the author of www.TheFiveConnections.com and www.ChaosToClarity.com  Pause Stop Reset is published by www.TheSimpleIdea.com and for any queries, questions, opportunities or suggestions get in with the team via help@thesimpleidea.com. If you'd like to explore Simon helping you grow and scale your business explore www.StrategicAlchemyGroup.com  

Despite its popularity and promise, unfortunately, there are numerous misconceptions about the definition and practice of psychological safety. Inspired by Amy Edmondson's recent article in Harvard Business Review, I dive into the real meaning of psychological safety—it's about cultivating a space where open debates and the free exchange of ideas thrive, not an environment in which conflict or critical feedback is avoided. Discover how focusing on challenging concepts, not individuals, can foster innovation, engagement, and inclusivity within your team. I unpack why conflict and vigorous debate are not only natural but essential components of a psychologically safe environment.But who is responsible for this shared sense of safety? It's not just the leader's job. Drawing from my experiences as an executive coach, I emphasize the importance of bi-directional relationships within teams. Everyone plays a part in creating a safe space. Learn how implementing concrete behaviors and KPIs, while seeking external feedback, can help assess and improve psychological safety. Reflect on your own role and contributions to developing such an environment, not only in your professional sphere but in your personal life as well.What You'll Learn- Debunking common myths about psychological safety.- How to dynamically measure psychological safety within teams.- The impact of psychological safety on innovation and inclusivity.- The importance of shared responsibility in fostering psychological safety.Podcast Timestamps(00:00) – Misconceptions About Psychological Safety(20:13) – Psychological Safety is a Two-Way StreetKEYWORDSPositive Leadership, Psychological Safety, Constructive Conflict, High-Performing Teams, Open Debates, Free Exchange of Ideas, Combatting Misconceptions, Amy Edmondson, Navigating Conflict, Radical Candor, Collective Excellence, CEO Success

What does it mean to age with dignity in today’s healthcare system? What will it take to truly transform how we care for older adults in America? In this episode, the first of a six-part series, we explored the documentary Aging in America: Survive or Thrive, created by the John A. Hartford Foundation. We spoke with Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation, to explore the legacy of Dr. Robert Butler and how hospitals are utilizing the “4 Ms” framework (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, Mobility) to enhance care for older adults. We dive into the stark disparities based on income, race, and geography, and highlight programs working to close those gaps. From dementia care models to creative workforce solutions and caregiver support, this conversation offers a hopeful, practical look at reimagining aging in America. Visit johnahartford.org/agefriendly for information about the 4Ms of age-friendly care. Helpful articles and videos can also be found here. Additional resources: Harvard Business Review article on how employers can support family caregivers of older adults The RUSH University Medical Center Caring for Caregivers program My Health Checklist The Reframing Aging Initiative The UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care programSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the future of work, life, and leadership is already here, and it demands our full participation?In this powerful solo episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, Erica Rooney dives headfirst into the Artificial Intelligence revolution. But before you tune out thinking it's too technical, hang in there! Erica, not a techie herself, shares her deeply personal shift in perspective and why AI isn't just about code—it's about humanity, connection, and creativity.She unpacks the critical gender gap in AI adoption, revealing what women risk if we don't lean in now, and, most importantly, how our inherent human strengths give us a unique and powerful edge in this evolving landscape. This episode is a wake-up call and a call to action, offering tangible ways to engage with AI today, no matter your experience level.Inside the episode:Why AI matters for everyone, not just tech pros, and what we risk by ignoring it.The alarming gender gap in AI adoption revealed by Harvard Business Review research.How perfectionism, risk aversion, and historical biases are contributing to women falling behind.The profound ripple effect of women's underrepresentation in shaping AI tools.Why our uniquely human qualities—creativity, compassion, connection, curiosity, and courage—are our greatest advantage in an AI-powered world.Three tangible ways you can start using AI today, from beginner to tech-savvy.If you're ready to ditch the fear, embrace curiosity, and own your indispensable place in the future, this episode is your essential guide.BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky FloorsBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

For the last two years, HBR On Strategy has been a collection of the best conversations and case studies with the world's top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. But the time has come for HBR On Strategy to hit pause on new episodes. We think that you deserve the highest-possible quality HBR content. And to do that, we're going to focus our efforts for now on our sister feed, HBR On Leadership. But don't worry—you can still enjoy the archive of episodes. Plus, you can find brand new episodes of HBR IdeaCast, HBR's Women at Work, Cold Call, and Coaching Real Leaders wherever you listen to podcasts. In the meantime, we hope you'll subscribe to our sister podcast, HBR On Leadership, which will continue dropping new episodes every week. Thank you for joining us each week. See you next time. Listen to HBR On LeadershipDiscover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org]]>

Women Who Lead 048: Betsy Cameron, Jeana Sander, Talia Tiffany | Bold Catalysts   Welcome back to this monthly series of Women Who Lead. In this episode, I'm sitting down with three lovely ladies in the real estate industry: Betsy Cameron, President of Ebby Holiday Companies; Gina Sander, Vice President and Regional Manager at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties; and Tallie Tiffany, Director of Legal Operations at HomeServices of America. We dive into the importance of legacy, bold decision-making, and the mindset shifts required to lead effectively during transformative times.   Meet the Leaders Betsy Cameron, President, Ebby Halliday Companies, betsycameron@ebby.com Jeana Sander, Vice President & Vice President & Regional Manager, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, JeanaSander@bhhscal.com Talia Tiffany, Director of Legal Operations, HomeServices of America, TaliaTiffany@homeservices.com    Humble Beginnings in Real Estate Betsy Cameron: Raised in a real estate family, Betsy's journey led her from teaching special education to becoming an executive in the real estate industry. She credits her mother's influence, a foundation in service, and embracing both legacy and innovation as key leadership drivers. Gina Sander: Transitioning from commercial to residential real estate, Gina found a passion for guiding clients through major decisions. Her career saw acceleration through multiple leadership invites, leading to her overseeing 700 California agents with a focus on values, integrity, and authentic connection. Tallie Tiffany: With a strong background in law and real estate from a young age, Tallie blends legal expertise with practical business insights. She shares the importance of mentorship, sponsorship, and “lifting as you climb,” especially through peer collaboration.   Navigating Courageous Decisions Each leader shares their moments that required boldness—whether it was Betsy making the leap after 16 years at another brokerage, Gina uprooting her life to take a career leap, or Tallie leaving a secure legal job for the uncertainties of a commission-based role.  At the heart: integrity, compassion, and staying true to core values, even when change is uncomfortable.   Building Legacy and Fostering Inclusion We delve into how these women honor the legacies of their predecessors while innovating for the future.  All three emphasize creating space at the table for women, elevating colleagues, and developing skills through both mentorship and sponsorship.  They also discuss the importance of inclusivity and support networks within and beyond their organizations.   Real Estate and Tech: Meeting Today's Challenges Facing market challenges like affordability, inventory shortages, and shifting client expectations, the ladies highlight the critical role of education, data, and new technology tools, including AI and automated marketing solutions.  They stress adaptability and continuous learning as essential leadership qualities.   Favorite Quotes, Podcasts, and Books Tallie shares that her two favorite podcasts are "Women at Work" by Harvard Business Review and "Good Hang" by Amy Poehler.  Betsy shares that she enjoys listening to Simon Sinek the most.  Gina loved the book “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz and is subscribed to the Daily Stoic. She just recently finished reading “The Obstacle Is the Way” by Ryan Holiday. Also, her favorite quote is by Winston Churchill, “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.”   When you help another woman rise, we all shine. And that's how we make an impact. So, let's build each other up and shine brighter than the sun. For more great content from Teresa, connect with her on LinkedIn, join her Women Who Lead Series on Facebook, and subscribe to her YouTube channel. You can find more episodes of Women Who Lead on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else podcasts can be found.   This episode is brought to you in part by Venus et Fleur. Are you looking for a great way to show appreciation to family, friends, or even customers? Give them a floral arrangement they won't forget anytime soon. These beautiful arrangements make the perfect closing gift for any realtor to stay top of mind. Visit venusetfleur.com and use code “hsoa20” when ordering for 20% off.

What if the future of work, life, and leadership is already here, and it demands our full participation?In this powerful solo episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, Erica Rooney dives headfirst into the Artificial Intelligence revolution. But before you tune out thinking it's too technical, hang in there! Erica, not a techie herself, shares her deeply personal shift in perspective and why AI isn't just about code—it's about humanity, connection, and creativity.She unpacks the critical gender gap in AI adoption, revealing what women risk if we don't lean in now, and, most importantly, how our inherent human strengths give us a unique and powerful edge in this evolving landscape. This episode is a wake-up call and a call to action, offering tangible ways to engage with AI today, no matter your experience level.Inside the episode:Why AI matters for everyone, not just tech pros, and what we risk by ignoring it.The alarming gender gap in AI adoption revealed by Harvard Business Review research.How perfectionism, risk aversion, and historical biases are contributing to women falling behind.The profound ripple effect of women's underrepresentation in shaping AI tools.Why our uniquely human qualities—creativity, compassion, connection, curiosity, and courage—are our greatest advantage in an AI-powered world.Three tangible ways you can start using AI today, from beginner to tech-savvy.If you're ready to ditch the fear, embrace curiosity, and own your indispensable place in the future, this episode is your essential guide.BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky FloorsBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

Kevin Evers: There's Nothing Like This Kevin Evers is a Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review. Passionate about shaping groundbreaking research and amplifying pioneering ideas, he has edited bestselling and award-winning books on high performance, creativity, innovation, digital disruption, marketing, and strategy. He is the author of There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift*. You may love her music. You may not. You may think she's a business genius…or perhaps no. But one thing is for sure, you cannot ignore Taylor Swift. In this conversation, Kevin and I explore Swift's strategic approach and what every leader can learn from her success. Key Points Swift knows exactly her “job to be done” and delivers on it consistently. Swift treats her fans' emotions and experiences with respect and they respond in kind. Andy Grove famously said that only the paranoid survive. It's one of many traits that helps Swift stay successful. Swift's transition to pop was promotion-focused rather than prevention-focused to a promotion-focused. She led the story of her transformation. Not only is Swift clear on her vision, but she regularly reflects on the difficult steps to get there. Swift is a remarkable example of antifragility. Not only does she withstand stress and shocks, they make her stronger. Resources Mentioned There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift* by Kevin Evers Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes Doing Better Than Zero Sum-Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641) The Reason People Make Buying Decisions, with Marcus Collins (episode 664) How to Keep Improving, with Maurice Ashley (episode 697) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

This week on Corporate Cafecito, we sit down with the powerhouse Mariana Fagnilli, JD, LLM - a human rights lawyer turned global DEI executive, founder of Fagnilli Group, and now international change-maker redefining what real inclusion looks like.Mariana has led with purpose across industries from Argentina to Johnson & Johnson to Major League Soccer. Today, she serves on the Harvard Business Review, advises the World Economic Forum, and was named one of the Top Women Leaders of 2024.Her new book, Inclusion Driven Performance, lays out a bold 5-step framework that transforms culture into competitive strategy. It's already a #1 Amazon Best Seller!☕ In this cafecito, we dive into:- Why inclusion must be tied to KPIs, not just training- The danger of “checking boxes” versus creating lasting change- How Latines can lead the narrative in 2025 and beyond- The personal journey that led Mariana to a new life chapter in SpainWhether you lead a team, an ERG, or a business unit, or build something bold from the ground up, this conversation will fuel your next move.

Send us a textABA on Tap is so proud to spend some time with the illustrious Portia James. (Part 2 of 2)As a visionary, a powerhouse of a leader, and a pioneer for women and people of color in her field, Portia James has been shaking conference room tables for nearly two decades. She shares bold perspectives on the lack of representation for black leadership in the workplace and how it impacts decision-making and strategic execution at the executive level. She is one of few Behavior Analysts to have been featured in both Forbes and Harvard Business Review.Portia is a sought-after Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Organizational Behavior Management specialist who helps black Behavior Analysts launch and scale companies that thrive. As the founder and CEO of Behavior Genius, she has served hundreds of staff and families impacted by Autism.Portia is a wife to an MMA fighter (of course she is!)  and mother of 3 dynamic children, a travel junkie, and a red wine enthusiast. Portia serves up a flight of bold and complex flavors. Sip this one slowly and carefully. Don't forget to swirl, take in the bouquet, and always analyze responsibly. iLearn-ABA --- your CEU source!iLearn-ABA is a learning platform designed by BCBAs, for BCBAs and related professionals. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

 Faisal Hoque is the founder of SHADOKA and NextChapter andserves as a transformation and innovation partner for CACI, an $8billion company focused on U.S. national security. He is a #1 WallStreet Journal bestselling author with ten award-winning books tohis name. His new book, TRANSCEND: Unlocking Humanity in theAge of AI, was named a ‘must read' by the Next Big Idea Club andselected as a Financial Times business book of the month. Itbecame an instant bestseller—across multiple categories—onthe USA Today (#1 in Computers, #1 in Philosophy, #3 in Business & Economics, #5 in AllNon-Fiction), Los Angeles Times (#7 in All Non-Fiction), and Publishers Weekly lists.For thirty years, he has been developing commercial business and technology systems,and enabling leadership teams at MasterCard, American Express, GE, Home Depot, FrenchSocial Security Services, US Department of Defense (DoD), US Department of HomelandSecurity (DHS), PepsiCo, IBM, Chase, and others with sustainable growth. Today, Faisal is ahighly sought-after innovation and transformation (digital/AI, business, organization)partner for both public and private sector organizations, and recognized as one of theworld's leading management thinkers and technologists.As a founder and CEO of multiple companies, he is a three-time winner of the DeloitteTechnology Fast 50™ and Fast 500™ awards. Faisal is a contributor at the MIT's IDEAS SocialInnovation program, Thinkers50, and the Swiss business school IMD. His work hasappeared in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, MIT SloanManagement Review, The Financial Times, Psychology Today, BIG Think, BusinessInsider, Fortune, Inc., Kiplinger, Yahoo Finance, Fox, ABC, CBS, and others.Faisal's work and life are profoundly influenced by a distinctive fusion of Easternphilosophy and American entrepreneurial spirit. He frequently speaks at internationalconferences, business schools, corporate gatherings, and business summits. Inspired bypersonal experiences, Faisal is a passionate advocate for cancer research, raisingawareness and supporting research efforts to combat the disease.

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.    I'm excited to welcome Kevin Evers to the show. He is a Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review. He's written popular articles on brain science, Hollywood blockbusters, the art of persuasion, and the unpredictability of success. But what he is here to talk about today is his new book called There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift.    THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone (fan or not) who is curious about how bold creative decisions can shape brand success.    TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…Taylor Swift has undeniably built one of the most successful music careers of all time. But beyond the musical talent, she's also a business mastermind. In this episode, Kevin unpacks how she's built a brand so distinctive that it operates in a category of one. From rethinking product launches to redefining customer loyalty, her approach is a case study in aligning brand, audience, and experience.    KEY TAKEAWAYS: Longevity comes from bold, well-timed reinvention. Fan obsession is a growth strategy, not just a marketing strategy. You can't fake authenticity; your audience will notice. Strategic shifts should follow your creative instincts, not the market's expectations. Treat every product launch like an unforgettable experience.   WHAT I LOVE MOST…Kevin's insight that Taylor Swift's best strategies are rooted in her art, not the boardroom. Staying creatively true has become her business advantage.   Running Time: 28:46    Subscribe on iTunes     Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X    Find Kevin Online: LinkedIn Instagram   Kevin's Book: There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift

In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Yordanos Eyoel, Founder and CEO of Keseb, a nonpartisan organization advancing inclusive and resilient democracies through transnational civil society. An Ethiopian-American democracy entrepreneur, Yordanos is an Ashoka and Aspen Institute Fellow and has received awards from the Elevate Prize Foundation and Unorthodox Philanthropy. Previously, she was a Managing Partner at New Profit, where she rose from Portfolio Analyst—the first to do so in the organization's history. Her work has been featured in TED, NPR, and Harvard Business Review.   Yordanos shares how her faith has shaped her leadership: Faith provides grounding in uncertainty. As a leader, Yordanos acknowledges that she doesn't always have the answers. Her faith offers a steady anchor—something to return to when decisions are complex and the path forward isn't clear. Faith strengthens resilience as a woman of color. Navigating leadership as a woman of color comes with unique challenges. Yordanos credits her faith with helping her stay centered amid external pressures, giving her the courage to lead authentically. Her leadership is deeply values-driven. Yordanos' sense of purpose, integrity, and commitment to service are all rooted in her faith. It's not just a personal belief—it's a leadership compass that guides how she shows up for others and makes decisions. Thank you, Yordanos, for your insightful advice!   Get full show notes and more information here:https://analizawolf.com/episode-104-faith-and-leadership-with-yordanos-eyoel-founder-and-ceo-keseb

What if negative customer experiences matter more than you think—impacting your bottom line far beyond any single complaint or glowing review? In the latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, we dive into why negative experiences carry outsized influence on customer loyalty and business revenue. Many leaders mistakenly chase the most frequent irritants, but as our guest explains, it's not about quantity—it's about which problems have the greatest financial impact. If you're a CX leader struggling to prove the ROI of your work, you'll want to tune in for innovative strategies that bridge the gap between customer insights and business results. Why listen to this episode? Paula Courtney, President of the Verde Group, is a global authority on customer retention and quantifying the financial risk of customer experience missteps. With over 30 years of research published in BusinessWeek, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review, Paula brings a unique, science-backed approach to identifying the most consequential pain points in your customer journey. Her team's methods have helped organizations around the world—across 35 countries—focus investments where they count and avoid common CX measurement pitfalls. Here are three engaging questions Paula answers on this episode: Why do negative experiences have a disproportionate effect on customer behavior—and what psychological principles drive this phenomenon? What critical missteps do organizations make by relying on “applause meter” surveys and chasing the wrong metrics? How can leaders accurately quantify the financial risk of negative experiences and build a rock-solid business case for CX investment in the boardroom? Don't miss this essential conversation for anyone seeking to transform their customer experience—and get buy-in from the C-suite. Listen to the episode now and subscribe so you never miss insights from top industry leaders. Listen & Subscribe: Delighted Customers on Apple Podcasts Delighted Customers on Spotify Available on all your favorite podcast platforms! Meet Paula Courtney Paula Courtney is the President of the Verde Group, a global market research consultancy specializing in customer retention and the quantification of customer experience ROI. For over three decades, she has led the development of research methods that help organizations not only identify but truly measure the economic impact of customer experiences—especially the negative ones most likely to drive churn. Paula's expertise has been featured in prominent outlets such as BusinessWeek, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. Her work is rooted in psychology, utilizing principles like negativity bias and loss aversion, and grounded in data science to separate “noise” from actionable insights. An international leader, Paula and her team have supported customer-centric transformation in over 35 countries, providing business leaders with tools to prioritize investments and foster real, financially measurable change. Learn more about Paula and the Verde Group at https://verdegroup.com Connect with Paula Courtney on LinkedIn: Paula Courtney LinkedIn Show Notes & References Verde Group: Website and Resources Monthly newsletter, research blogs, and case studies: Available on Verde Group's website Be sure to subscribe and leave a five-star review to support the podcast and spread the word!

Is AI underdelivering? Or are we asking the wrong questions? This episode breaks down what actually leads to business ROI with AI (and no, it’s not more automation). Overview What if AI isn’t the silver bullet—yet—but the bottleneck is human, not technical? In this episode, Brian Milner chats with Evan Leybourn and Christopher Morales of the Business Agility Institute about their latest research on how organizations are really using AI, what’s working (and what’s wildly overhyped), and why your success might hinge more on your culture than your code. References and resources mentioned in the show: Evan Leybourn Christopher Morales Business Agility Institute From Constraints to Capabilities Report Delphi Method #93: The Rise of Human Skills and Agile Acumen with Evan Leybourn #82: The Intersection of AI and Agile with Emilia Breton #117: How AI and Automation Are Redefining Success for Developers with Lance Dacy AI Practice Prompts For Scrum Masters Join the Agile Mentors Community Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is SVP of coaching and training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Evan Leybourn is the co-founder of the Business Agility Institute and author of Directing the Agile Organization and #noprojects; a culture of continuous value. Evan champions the advancement of agile, innovative, and dynamic companies poised to succeed in fluctuating markets through rigorous research and advocacy. Christopher Morales is a seasoned digital strategist and agile leader with over 20 years of experience guiding organizations like ESPN, IBM, and the Business Agility Institute. As founder of Electrick Media, he helps U.S. and European businesses harness AI to make smarter, more sustainable decisions in a rapidly changing world. Auto-generated Transcript: Brian Milner (00:00) Welcome in Agile Mentors. We are back for another episode of the Agile Mentors podcast. We've kind been a little bit off and on recently, but I'm back, I'm here, I'm ready to go, and we've got a really good episode for you today. I've got two, two guests with me. I know that's not a normal thing that we do here, but we got two guests. First, we have Mr. Evan Layborn with us, who's back. Welcome back, Evan. Evan Leybourn (00:23) Good morning from Melbourne, Australia. Brian Milner (00:26) And Christopher Morales is joining us for the first time. Christopher worked with Evan on a project and we're going to talk about that in just a second, but Christopher, welcome in. Christopher Morales (00:35) Yeah, good evening. Nice to be here. It's very late here in Germany. So this is an international attendance. Brian Milner (00:42) Yeah, we were talking about this just as we started. I think we have pretty much all times of day represented here on this call because we've got morning here from Evan. We've got late evening here for Christopher and I'm kind of late afternoon. So we're covered. All our bases are covered here. But we wanted to have these two on. They both work for a company called the Business Agility Institute. And if you have been with us for a while, you probably remember Evan's episode that we had on last year when we kind of talked about one of the studies that they had done. Well, they put out a new one that I kind of saw Evan posting about. And I thought, wow, that sounds really, really interesting. I really want to have them on to talk about this. It's called From Constraints to Capabilities, AI as a Force Multiplier. The great thing about the Business Agility Institute is they get into the data. They do the research, they put in the hard work, and it's not just speculation. It's not just, that's one guy's bloated opinion, and do they know what they're talking about or not? So that's what I really, really appreciate about the things that come out of the Business Agility Institute is they're factual, they're data-based. So that's what I wanna start with, I guess, is... What was the genesis of this? What did you guys, how did you land on this as a topic and how did you narrow it down to this as a topic? Where did this start? Evan Leybourn (02:07) Well, quite simply, it started from almost a hypothesis around so much of the conversation around AI. And let's face it, there is a lot of conversation around artificial intelligence and specifically generative, predictive and agentic AI. Focuses on the technology. And yet when we talk to organizations, a lot of them don't seem to be seeing a positive return on investment, a positive ROI. And we needed to understand why, why these benefits of like three times products or operational efficiency product throughput, three times value creation, Why weren't companies seeing this? That's really what we were trying to understand. Why? Brian Milner (03:01) Yeah, that's a great basis for this because I think you're right. There's sort of this, I would imagine there's lots of people out there who are kind of going through their business lives and hearing all these incredible claims that people are making in the media about how this is gonna replace everyone. And now it's, yeah, we can, I mean, you said 3X, I've heard like, 10 or anywhere from 10 to 100X, the capabilities of teams and that they can now do all these amazing things. And if I'm just going through my business career, I'm looking at that from the outside going, is this fact or is this fantasy? this just a bluster or is this really, really happening? So I really appreciate this as a topic. A little bit of insider baseball here for everybody. You guys talk about in this report that you use a specific method here, the Delphi method. for data geeks here, or if you're just kind of curious, would you mind describing a little bit about what that means? Evan Leybourn (04:00) Chris, do you want to take that one? Christopher Morales (04:01) Yeah, well, so the idea behind using the Delphi method was actually inspired by my sister. She had done a periodic review that utilized this method. And essentially what it is is we utilize rounds of inquiry with an expert panel to refine the research, the feedback that we're getting. And so we collected an initial set of data. reviewed that data, tried to analyze it to come up with a consensus, and then repositioned our findings back to the experts to find out where they stood based on what they gave us. And really trying to get all of the experts to come to an agreement in specific areas. In the areas that we found gray space, for instance, or let's say, data was spread out, right? Those were really the areas where we're really trying to force these experts to get off of the fence and really make an assessment. And it was proved extremely helpful, I think, in this research because what I find in the AI space is that there is plenty of gray. And we really wanted to get to some stronger degree of black and white. I'm not going to say these findings are black and white, but I will say that in order to guide people, you need to give them degrees of confidence. And I feel like that's what we wanted to do with this. Brian Milner (05:31) Well, that's the great thing about research though, Is it can give you information, but there's always the story. And it's really kind of finding that story that really is the crux of it. So we open this saying, fact or fiction. So just hit us up with a couple of the, maybe some of the surprising findings or some of the key things. For the people you talk to. Christopher Morales (05:38) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (05:53) Were they seeing these amazing kind of, you know, 100 X of their capabilities or what was the reality of what people reported to you? Evan Leybourn (06:01) In a few cases, yes. Maybe not 100x, but 8x, 10x was definitely being shown. But the big aha, and I won't say it was a surprise, was really in a lot of organizations, the teams that were using AI were seeing Brian Milner (06:03) Okay. Evan Leybourn (06:23) absolutely massive improvements. People talk about going from months to minutes in terms of trying to create things. And so there's your 100X. But when we look at it at a business level and the business ROI, when we look at the idea to customer from concept to cash, when we look at the overall business flow, very few of those organizations saw those benefits escape from the little AI inner circle. And so that 10x or the 100x improvement fizzles into nothingness in some cases. negligible improvement in the whole organization. Some organizations absolutely saw those benefits throughout the entire system. And those were organizations who had created a flow, who created organizational systems that could work at the speed of AI, especially some of the younger AI native organizations, if you want to think of them that way. But no, most organizations those 10x, 100x kind of goals were unachievable for the business. And so when I was saying 3x, by the way, what we sort of tended to find is those organizations, mature organizations with mature AI programs and systems. we're generally seeing between a 1.2 to 1.4x improvement to about a 2.8 to about a 3.2x improvement. So that's like a 20 % to a 300 % improvement if you want to think of it this way. Brian Milner (08:15) Wow. Well, that's nothing to sneeze at. That's still really, really impressive. Christopher Morales (08:19) yeah, it'll make a significant difference. I think for me the interesting thing about the findings is that there's two areas that I think will pose a really interesting question for people who read the report, and that is this idea of being very intentional about identifying your goal, right? I don't know how many organizations are really meaningfully identifying what their expected outcome is. And I think the other thing, which we didn't really talk about much in the report, but I think plays a role in the conversation that's kind of bubbling to the surface here today, has to do with the human element inside of the organization. And while all of the organizations that we spoke to said that the human was a very important element and prioritized, There was a challenge in identifying specific initiatives that were being put in place to account for the disruption that the technology might have on the staff or the employees. And that wasn't surprising. That was kind of expected. But I think it's interesting that, you know, eight months after we released this report, I would argue that that's still the case. Brian Milner (09:36) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, that's fascinating because you're right. It's, it's, that's not the story you always hear, because you, you are hearing kind of more of taking the human out of the loop and making it more of just this straight automation kind of project. I want to ask really a question here though, Evan, said you made the distinction about it being more mature, groups, more mature organizations. I'm just curious, is that translate to, is there anything that translates there into the size of the organization as well? Did you find that more larger organizations had a different outcome than smaller, more nimble startup kind of organizations? Evan Leybourn (10:14) So age more than size. Younger organizations tended to be more, well, mean, they tended to be more agile. There's more business agility and through that greater benefits out of AI. These things are very tightly tied together. If you can't do... Brian Milner (10:18) Hmm, okay. Evan Leybourn (10:38) Agile or if you don't have agility as an organization, you're not going to do AI particularly well. And a piece of that goes to what you were just talking about in terms and you use the word automation, which is a beautiful, beautiful trigger word for me here because the reality is that the organizations that utilized AI, specifically generative or agentic AI, to automate their workforce rarely saw a high, like a strong return on investment. It basically comes down to generative predictive AI, generative and agentic AI tends not to be a good automation tool. It's non-deterministic. You pull a lever, you get one result. You pull the same lever tomorrow, you will get a different result. There are better tools for automation, cheaper tools for automation. And so we're not saying automation is bad. We're just saying that it's not the technology for it. The organizations that used it to augment their workforce were the ones that were seeing significant benefits. And now there are caveats and consequences to this because it does change the role of the human, the human in the loop, the human in the organization. But fundamentally, organizations that were automating or using AI for automation were applying an industrial era mindset and mentality to an information era opportunity. And they weren't seeing the benefits, not at a business level, not long term. And in some cases, did more harm than good. Brian Milner (12:28) That's really deep insight. That's really amazing to hear that. I'm interested as well. You found some places that were seeing bigger gains than others that were seeing bigger payoffs. Did you find patterns in what some of the hurdles were or some of the kind of obstacles that were preventing some of these that weren't seeing the payoffs from really taking full advantage of this technology? Christopher Morales (12:52) Yeah, absolutely. mean, we identified some significant constraints that, interestingly enough, when we talk about this, we obviously do workshops. So we were just at the XP conference doing a workshop. And when we talk about this, we identify the fact that our position is that the challenges to AI are a human problem, not a technology problem. And the findings reflect that because of the constraints that we found. only one of the major constraints was associated with technology and that was data primarily. The constraints that we identified had to do with normal operations within a business. So long budgeting cycles or the ability to make a decision at a fast rate of speed, for instance. These are all human centric challenges that independent of AI, If you're trying to run an efficient organization, you're trying to run an agile organization, right? Able to take advantage of opportunities. These are all things that are going to come into play. and, you know, as we like to say, like AI is only going to amplify that, right? So if AI can show you 20 more times, like the opportunities available to you is your organization going to be able to pivot? Do you have a funding model that can provide the necessary support for a given initiative? Or is the way things that run within the organization essentially giving you AI that provides you information that you can't move? Brian Milner (14:31) That's a great, yeah, yeah. Evan Leybourn (14:31) And think of it this way, if you're expecting AI to give you a three times improvement to product delivery, can your leaders make decisions three times faster? Can you get market feedback three times faster? And for most organizations, the answer is no. Brian Milner (14:51) Yeah. Yeah, that's a great phrase in there that Chris was talking about, like the AI will just amplify things. I think that's a great observation. And I think you're right. this is kind of, you know, there's been a thing I've talked about some recently in class. there's a... I'll give you my theory. You tell me if your data supports this theory or not. I'm just curious. You know, we've been teaching for a long time in Scrum classes that, you know, there's been studies, there's been research that shows that when you look at the totality of the features that are being completed in software development, there's really a large percentage of them that are rarely or never used, right? They're not finding favor with the audience. The audience is not using those capabilities. And so my theory, and this is what I want you guys, I'm curious what your thought is. If AI is amplifying the capability of development to produce faster, then my theory is that's going to only expand the number of things that we produce that aren't used because the focus has been sort of historically on that it's a It's a developer productivity issue that if we could just expand developer productivity, the business would be more successful when those other former studies are saying, wait a minute, that may not be it. We need to focus more on what customers really want. And if we knew what they really wanted, well, then, yeah, then productivity comes into play. But That's the human element again, right? We have to understand the customer. have to know. So I'm just curious again, maybe I'm out on a limb here or maybe that doesn't line up, how does that line up with what you found? Evan Leybourn (16:41) So the report's called From Constraints to Capabilities. And Chris, we spoke about the constraints. So maybe let's talk about the capabilities for a second. for the listeners who are unfamiliar with the Business Agility Institute, the model that we use for the majority of our research is the domains of business agility, which is a behavioral and capability Brian Milner (16:45) Ha ha. Yes. Evan Leybourn (17:04) Now, in that model, there are 84 behaviors that we model against organizations. But in this context, more importantly, were the 18 business capabilities. And so what we found was that the organizations that were actually seeing an improvement weren't the ones with the capabilities around throughput. So one of the capabilities deliver value sooner. That wasn't strongly tied. So the ability to deliver value sooner wasn't strongly tied to seeing a benefit from AI. But the ability to prioritize or prioritize, prioritize, prioritize, something so important we said it three times, was one of the most strongly needed capabilities. It correlates where organizations that were better at prioritization, at being able to decide which feature or area, what thing to do was the next most important thing. If you're got AI building seven or eight prototypes in the same time you used to be able to create one, great, you now have seven or eight options. Not that seven or eight are going to go to market. but you're going to decide, you've got more optionality. So it's not that you're be delivering more faster, though in some cases that is obviously the case, but you've got more to choose from so that if you make the right decision, you will see those business benefits. But the capability that had the strongest, absolute strongest relationship to seeing a benefit from artificial intelligence was the ability to cultivate a learning organization. That's not education, that's around learning, experimentation, trying things, testing things, being willing as an organization to say, well, that didn't work, let's try something else. And those learning organizations were the ones that were almost universally more successful at seeing a business benefit from their AI initiatives than anybody else. So yeah, just because you can develop features faster, it means nothing if it's not the right features that the customers want. And that comes from learning and prioritization and there are other capabilities unleashing. workflow creatively and funding work dynamically, for example, that came out strongly. But I just really wanted to highlight those two because that's the connection that you're looking for. Christopher Morales (19:43) Yeah. And if you think about your question ties directly into something that we heard at the conference we were just at, likening to technical debt. So we're actually starting to see the increase in technical debt because of the influence that AI and software development is having in the creation of code and so on and so forth. And so... I think that what you're saying is spot on in terms of your theory. And I think that this speaks to what I believe we should really kind of amplify, right? AI is going to amplify certain things that aren't positive. I think leadership, think businesses need to start amplifying a conversation around... Are we approaching this the right way? What are the ultimate outcomes that we may see? And can we take that on? So if our developers are increasing the amount of technical debt that we have because we've integrated AI or adopted AI, what are we doing about that? What is the new workflow? What does the human in the loop do on account of this new factor? that we need to take into place because ultimately things like that make their way to the bottom line. And we know that's what CEOs care about. Brian Milner (21:02) Yeah, wow, this is awesome. I just want to clarify with sort of the learning organization ability, just want to make sure I'm clear. What we're saying here is that it's organizations that already have that kind of cultural mindset, right? That the background of a learning organization that see a bigger gain from this, or are we saying that AI can makes the biggest influence of impacting how learning an organization is. Evan Leybourn (21:34) The first, ⁓ the arrow of causation is that learning organizations amplify or improve or are more likely to see a benefit from AI. It's not a bad, and I should say we're not looking at how effectively you can Brian Milner (21:35) Okay. Evan Leybourn (21:57) deploy an AI initiative. It's about a we looked at AI as a black box. Let's assume or as in the cut through the Delphi method, the companies that we were speaking to had been doing these for years. These were mature established organizations. And the so it wasn't looking at how effectively you could deploy AI. But rather You've got AI, it's integrated. Are you seeing a business benefit from it? And those organizations that were learning organizations were more likely to be seeing a benefit, much, much more likely to be seeing a benefit. Brian Milner (22:40) Yeah. There's one phrase that kind of jumped out at me that I thought maybe one or both of you could kind of address here a little bit. I love the phrase, kind of the metaphor that you used in there about shifting from a creator to composer. And I'm just wondering if you can kind of flesh that out a little bit for us. Help us understand what that looks like to move from a creator to composer. Christopher Morales (23:01) Yeah, I'll start, but I think Evan will touch on it as well, because I do think it's a fascinating position, is how I'll phrase that. So when we think about creator to composer, we're talking about a fundamental shift on how a human is utilized within an organization. So if we eliminate AI from the equation, The human, your employees are acting as creators at some level, at some degree. Okay, so I have a media background, so I'm doing a lot of marketing. And I think that this is appropriate to use as an analogy, because I think a lot of marketers are utilizing AI right now. So independent of AI, that marketer is required to take into consideration all of these different factors about the business, create copy, let's say. create a campaign, do all of this real like hands on thoughts and levels. Now you bring AI into the equation and there are certain elements of these tasks that are being supported, offloaded in some cases. I'm not gonna get into my opinions about what is right and what is wrong here, but what I will say is there is a change in that workflow. And so what is... fundamentally at play here is that that marketer is now working in conjunction with something else. And so it is critically important that that marketer develops the skills to compose with the AI in a sense of, now know how to direct, I know how to steer a conversation, steer a direction. in order to get to a meaningful and hopefully valuable output utilizing the assist of the AI. And Evan, I'll toss over to you because this is the area, just so you know, Brian, this area of the report is the one that this podcast could turn into an hour and a half long podcast. Evan Leybourn (25:08) So I'll try not to make it an hour and a half, but just to build on what Chris said. Brian Milner (25:11) Ha Evan Leybourn (25:12) So this created to compose a shift, it changes the role of the human in the loop. It changes the responsibilities. And there's a quote in the report, AI is an unlimited number of junior staff or junior developers if you're a technologist. And that comes with some deep nuance because we all know that junior staff there is a level of oversight and validation required. So if you're creating through your AI colleague, let's call them that, if you're collaborating with AI, the AI is creating, then every human shifts into that composer mode and moves up the value chain. So your junior most employees, right? start to take on what would be traditionally management responsibilities. Now, this isn't in the report, but this is sort what we found after, right? Was that there were three sort of skill areas that needed to be taught to individuals in order to be effective and successful with AI or to collaborate in an AI augmented workforce. The first one was product literacy. So the ability to define and communicate use cases and user stories, design thinking techniques and concepts, the ability to communicate what good looks like in a way that somebody else understands, this somebody else, of course, being the AI counterpart. And product literacy, again, your senior employees have that, but that's got to Everyone now needs that. The second is the skill of judgment or critical thinking. The ability to, for anyone here who has a background in lean, pulling the and on court. The ability to and the confidence to, which are two separate skills, actually say, no, what AI is doing here is wrong. We're going to do something different. I'm going to say something different. I'm going to suggest. I'm going to override AI. I'm going to pull the hand on cord and stop the production line, even though it's going to cost the organization money. But because if I don't, it's going to be much, much worse. And so that ability to use your judgment and the confidence to use judgment, because let's face it, AI can be very compelling in its sounds accurate. So you've to be able to go, hang on, there's something not right here, and use that judgment. And then the third is around feedback loops, or specifically quality control feedback. Because as a creator, the first round of feedback, the first round of quality control is implicit. It exists inside the heads and the hands of the creator. Like you're writing a document or creating a... a marketing campaign, you go, oh, I'm not happy with this, I'll change that, or maybe not that word. You're a software developer and say, oh, I don't like that line, that's not doing what I wanted, I'm gonna change it. So the first round of feedback, the first round of quality is implicit. But once you become a composer, the first round of feedback is explicit, right? Because you're taking what has already been produced. And so the, what we, What we found post report is that a lot of people do not have the skill or haven't, sorry, have not learnt the skill, how to do that first implicit round of feedback explicitly. And so it gets skipped. so AI outputs get passed through into... later stages of quality control and so forth. And obviously they fail more often. So it's a real issue. So it's those three skilled areas that we would say organizations fundamentally need to invest in, in order to enable their workforce to be augmented, to work with AI effectively. And the organizations that have those skills, the organization with who have individuals with those skills at all levels from the junior most employee are more successful. Now, I'm going to add one thing to this. I'm going to slightly go off topic because it is the one of the most common questions that we get when we teach this topic or we talk about it at conferences. And that is Brian Milner (29:44) Yeah Yeah, please do. Evan Leybourn (29:56) If AI replaces your junior employees and your junior employees go up a level, what's the pathway for the next generation to become the senior employee? And this is where I have to give you the bad news that no one has an answer for that yet. These very mature, very advanced organizations Right? Many of them were trying to figure it out. None of them had an answer. and that's the, and I'll be honest, I personally, and this is just Evan's opinion, believe that this will become or must be a society level problem, or solution to that problem. it will require businesses alongside governments, alongside, education institutions to make some fairly substantive shifts and I don't think anyone knows what they are today. Christopher Morales (30:53) Yeah, and I would only say to that, and again, there's so much I would love to inject here, but I will say that this is an opportunity, and I always stress that, because that is a little sobering when you think about that idea. But I really, really strongly encourage organizations that are evaluating this to, I understand the considerations about efficiency and bottom line benefit. Brian Milner (30:53) Yeah. You Christopher Morales (31:20) towards AI, and I appreciate that wholeheartedly. But I think this is a real opportunity for organizations to take a step back and really think about the growth path for the talent that you have in your organization. Because augmenting your workforce with AI, are studies, Harvard Business Review put out a study that indicated that an augmented employee was more productive and enhanced as if it had been working with a senior staff member and collaborated at a level that was equivalent to working within a team. So there are studies that show real benefit to the employee having an augmented relationship with AI. If an organization can take two steps back, think about that pattern, think about that elevation strategy for your talent. you're going to be doing so much more to keep yourself sustainable in what is arguably the most like, you know, I don't know, I don't even know the word I'm looking for. It's, the most chaotic time I can think of for businesses when it comes to technology adoption. Brian Milner (32:23) You Yeah, I agree. But there's also sort of, I don't know if you guys feel this way as well, but to me, there's sort of like this crackling kind of sense of excitement there as well, sort of like living on the frontier that like there's this unexplored country out here that we don't really know where all these things are going to shift out. But gosh, it's fun thinking that we get to be the ones who kind of do that experimentation and find out and see what's the next step in this evolution? What's the next growth? The patterns that we've used previously may not apply anymore or apply in the same way because so much of the foundation underneath that system has changed. So we got to experiment and find new things. I love the call there, the learning organization, that that being the primary thing that If we have that cultural value, then that's really gonna drive this because we can then say, hey, this isn't working anymore, let's try something else. And that's how we end up at a place where we have new practices and new workflows and things that will support this and augment it rather than hampering it being a constraint, like you said, yeah. Christopher Morales (33:48) Well said. Well said. Brian Milner (33:50) Awesome. Well, this is a fascinating discussion. I really could go on for the next couple of hours with you guys on this. is just my kind of hobby or interest area at the moment as well. So I really appreciate you guys doing the work on this and appreciate you sharing it with us and sharing some of the insights. Hey, and the listeners here, hey, they got a bonus from the report, right? You listed extra things that didn't quite make it in the report. Just make sure you understand that listeners, right? You got extra information here listening to us today. ⁓ So just any last words from you guys? Christopher Morales (34:19) Thank Yeah. Evan Leybourn (34:24) Just for the folk listening, treat AI not as a technical problem, but as a human and a business opportunity, requiring human and business level changes. Don't just focus on how good the technology is, because that's not where the constraints nor where the opportunities truly lie. I would also just like to call out that if anyone listening wants to learn more about any of these topics, the capabilities, the domains of business agility, visit the Business Agility Institute website, check out the domains, download the report. But we've also launched an education portfolio and we'll be running a different education course on each of the capabilities over the next, I think it's every two weeks almost until the end of the year. So please come and join us and let's go deep into these topics together. Christopher Morales (35:21) Yeah, and I would just say, Brian, to all the listeners out there, don't fall into what I think is a common fallacy, which is where we're going is predetermined. It's already set in stone. I think as Agilists, we know the power of flexibility, the ability to pivot, and the ability to utilize data and information to inform what our next move is going to be. And I think this is a classic case of you control the narrative. You control what AI looks like in your organization, in your team, in your workflow, and you have the ability to carve out how it impacts your world. And so I encourage people to look at it that way. Empower your humanity, empower your decision making. The AI is here, it's not going anywhere. So embrace it in the best way possible. Brian Milner (36:22) Yeah, it seems oddly ironic or maybe appropriate to quote from the Terminator movie here, but it sounds like what you're saying is no fate, but what you make. Christopher Morales (36:32) Prophetic, Brian, that's prophetic. Evan Leybourn (36:37) I love it. Brian Milner (36:37) Awesome. Well, thank you guys so much. I really appreciate you guys being on and obviously we're gonna have you back. you know, when you guys come out with new stuff like this, it's just amazing to dive deep into it. So thanks for making the time at all kinds of times of the day and coming on and sharing this with us. Christopher Morales (36:55) You're welcome. Evan Leybourn (36:56) Thank you.

Most businesses are built on a linear model: take, make, and discard. But that norm is reaching its limits, and leaders are under pressure to find smarter, more sustainable ways to operate. Weslynne Ashton is a systems scientist and professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. In her masterclass at HBR's 2024 Leaders Who Make a Difference conference, she explains how companies can shift to a circular economic strategy. One that reduces waste, reinvests in communities, and creates long-term value. She shares how businesses around the world are rethinking products, partnerships, and growth itself to build more resilient, regenerative business models. Key episode topics include: environmental sustainability, corporate social responsibility, ESG, climate change, business models, strategy, competitive strategy HBR On Strategy curates the best conversations and case studies with the world's top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week. Learn more about HBR's 2024 Leaders Who Make a Difference Conference Find more Harvard Business Review live events Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org ]]>

Our guest today needs no introduction, as you've likely seen her all over your FYP educating the masses on midlife and menopause. Tamsen Fadal is the bestselling author of How To Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better Than Before, the host of the Tamsen Show Podcast, and the creator, producer, and executive producer of the PBS documentary The M Factor: Shredding The Silence On Menopause. Beyond that, she is also a 12-time Emmy award-winning journalist and documentarian. Her regular appearances in media outlets include Oprah Daily, The Today Show, The New York Times, and The Harvard Business Review. Long story short? She's a big fucking deal and we're so excited to have her with us today! Take a trip with Dinky:We have two long weekend trips to:Mexico City Weekend 1: Oct 9 - 12Mexico City Weekend 2: Oct. 16 - 19 (GIRLS TRIP)Plus 8 Days In Germany + Prague for Christmas Markets: Dec. 6 - 13 (GIRLS TRIP)The Dinky Patreon is officially live! Join now to support the show + gain access to weekly, ad-free episodes, chat with us & other childfree pals in the Dinky Discord, join our virtual book club, and more! Wanna get your finances in order? Use our link to sign up for a FREE 34 day trial of YNAB (You Need A Budget) and support the show. Dinky is now on Substack — free of charge! Subscribe now to access exclusive content, unhinged memes, guest articles, and stay up to date on the podcast.Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and BlueSky at @dinkypod. Follow us on YouTube.If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

IN EPISODE 215:Innovation needs more than a good idea - it requires great leadership. In Episode 215, Robyn Bolton unlocks the leadership playbook for designing, supporting and executing bold ideas. We discuss ways leaders can resist short-term pressures that work against innovation, how to de-risk and develop innovation at every stage, and how to manage innovation teams with more curiosity and connection.ABOUT ROBYN BOLTON:Robyn Bolton is the Founder & Chief Navigator at Mile Zero, a consultancy that helps leaders  use innovation to confidentlyand repeatedly grow revenue. She previously worked at Innosight, Boston Consulting Group, and Procter & Gamble, where she helped develop and launch the Swiffer. Robyn's work has been featured in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and NPR's Marketplace. She's the author of Unlocking Innovation: A Leader's Guide for Turning Bold Ideas into Tangible Results.RESOURCES:⁠www.milezero.io⁠⁠www.UnlockingInnovation.co

Today, we are joined by Elizabeth Lotardo.Elizabeth Lotardo is a consultant, writer, and training creator who helps organizations drive emotional engagement. Her new book, Leading Yourself, is about creating meaning, joy, and opportunities at work, even if your job isn't perfect. You'll learn how to find more meaning in your role, quiet fear or anxiety about the future, and create opportunities that enable you to do your best work. At McLeod & More Inc, I'm the VP of Client Services, working with clients like Salesforce, DraftKings, Hilton, and numerous Berkshire Hathaway organizations. I've designed programs for senior leaders, frontline managers, and entry-level teammates that enable everyone to create more purpose-driven work experiences. She is also the co-author of Selling with Noble Purpose and write for Harvard Business Review.In this episode, we explore the transformative power of self-leadership and how managing the space between your ears becomes the cornerstone of effective leadership. Elizabeth reveals why so many people struggle to find purpose in their work and provides practical strategies for creating meaning even in mundane roles.Key topics include:Why finding purpose in work is challenging The critical difference between passion and purpose Techniques for discovering your ripple effect and understanding your true impactHow to break free from negative purpose cycles The Stockdale Paradox and how to balance optimism with confronting brutal realitiesWhether you're struggling to find meaning in your current role or looking to enhance your self-leadership capabilities, Elizabeth's insights will help you develop the foundational skills needed to lead yourself effectively before attempting to lead others.Elizabeth Lotardo's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Yourself-Meaning-Opportunities-Already/dp/1394238703 -Website and live online programs: http://ims-online.com Blog: https://blog.ims-online.com/ Podcast: https://ims-online.com/podcasts/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesgood/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/charlesgood99Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:30) Tool: Understanding Why People Struggle to Find Purpose in Work(02:50) Technique: Distinguishing Between Passion and Purpose for Greater Impact(04:25) Tip: Articulating Your Ripple Effect to Understand Work Impact(07:35) Technique: Breaking Free from Lack of Purpose Cycles(09:10) Tip: Shifting Focus from Seeking Purpose to Creating It(13:45) Technique: Adding Support Beams When Changing Core Beliefs(15:10) Tip: Applying the Stockdale Paradox to Daily Leadership Challenges(16:35) Tool: Using 20 Seconds of Insane Courage in Corporate Settings(19:25) Tip: Reframing Change as Growth Opportunity(21:00) Tool: Learning from Failure and Knowing When to Pivot(23:15) Technique: Operating Effectively Despite Uncertainty(24:30) Tip: Choosing Consistency Over Intensity for Goal Achievement(27:25) Tool: Setting Input-Based Goals Instead of Output-Based Promises(31:56) Conclusion#CharlesGood #ElizabethLotardo #TheGoodLeadershipPodcast #SelfLeadership #PurposeAtWork #MindsetManagement #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment #WorkplacePurpose #ChangeManagement #ResilienceBuilding #GoalSetting #LeadershipMindset #SelfAwareness #PersonalLeadership #WorkplaceMotivation #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipFoundations #EmotionalIntelligence

What can a global pop icon teach us about business strategy? In the case of Taylor Swift, more than you might think.Episode SummaryOn this episode, I'm joined by Kevin Evers, senior editor at Harvard Business Review and the author of There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift. We dive deep into what makes Swift not just a pop icon but a master strategist — someone who has repeatedly made bold, counterintuitive business decisions and turned them into career-defining moments. Kevin and I explore how Taylor has managed her brand like a founder, handling everything from customer loyalty to product lifecycle planning, channel distribution to reputation management. He explains how she's cultivated extraordinary fan intimacy, exercised long-term thinking, and turned public conflict into strategic advantage; all while maintaining creative and commercial dominance. One of the key moments we reflect on is her decision to re-record her early albums to reclaim ownership of her masters — and since we recorded this episode, there's been a major update: she's now reportedly bought back the original masters. It's a case study in asset control, strategic patience, and sticking to your values, and whether or not you're a Swiftie, there's a lot to learn.Guest Biography Kevin is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review, where he focuses on strategy, innovation, and leadership. He is the author of The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift, a book that applies a business lens to the career of one of the most commercially successful musicians of our time.In the book — and this conversation — Kevin explores how Swift's strategic decision-making offers lessons in branding, IP management, customer engagement, and more. In addition to his work at HBR, Kevin has also edited and collaborated on several bestselling business books, including titles in the HBR Guide series.AI Generated Timestamp Summary0:00:00 - Intro (7 Minutes)Introduction to Taylor Swift's strategic acumen in brand management.Discussion with Kevin Evers on how Swift has built a resilient brand and fostered fan loyalty.Highlighting her decision to re-record albums as an example of her entrepreneurial instincts.0:06:49 - Taylor's Bold Career Evolution (7 Minutes)Exploration of Swift's transition from country star to pop icon.Examination of key career moments, including the 2009 MTV VMA incident.Analysis of how Swift turns challenges into opportunities.0:13:46 - Taylor Swift's Collaborative Evolution (14 Minutes)Swift's strategic collaborations and her fear of stagnation.Insights into her partnership with producer Max Martin and how it helped evolve her sound.Comparisons to the Beatles' ability to adapt and innovate.0:27:26 - Taylor Swift's Evolving Content Strategy (4 Minutes)Discussion on Swift's adaptation to the music industry's changing dynamics.Her shift from releasing albums every two years to more frequent releases.Analysis of her blend of abundant content and scarce online presence.0:31:51 - Taylor Swift's Fan-Obsessed Strategy (14 Minutes)Exploration of Swift's marketing strategy focused on fan engagement.Use of subtle clues and inside jokes to create anticipation among fans.Examination of her decision to re-record albums and its impact on fan loyalty.0:46:14 - Taylor Swift's Founder Mentality and Risk (10 Minutes)Examination of Swift's instinct-driven career decisions.Comparison of her strategy to tech giants like Apple and Amazon.Discussion on her music-first philosophy and founder mentality.0:56:10 - Taylor Swift's Resilient and Innovative Career (12 Minutes)Analysis of Swift's ability to adapt and thrive in the streaming age.Examination of her strategic pivots and their impact on her career.Reflection on her focus on passions and connection with superfans.Links There's Nothing Like This - https://www.nothinglikethisbook.com/HBR Summary: https://hbr.org/2025/03/the-strategic-genius-of-taylor-swiftKevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-evers1/

Have you ever been caught in a conversation where you felt unheard or misunderstood? On this episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I'm exploring the transformative power of effective listening. With insights from Stephen Covey's timeless principle of seeking first to understand, and a revealing study from Zenger Folkman in Harvard Business Review, I uncover the real markers of great listening. It's not just about nodding silently; it's about engaging mindfully, channeling curiosity through thoughtful questions. These skills help us navigate today's polarized landscape and build bridges where there were none.Active listening is more than a skill; it's an art that can mend divides and strengthen connections. Drawing from my own experiences, I share how misplaced advice during an enthusiastic travel story highlighted the pitfalls of assuming rather than understanding. Empathy and emotional intelligence are key, especially in a tech-driven world where face-to-face interactions are rare. By being present, asking the right questions, and truly listening, we can foster more meaningful relationships and learn from disagreements. Tune in to this episode and discover how great listening can lead to a brighter, more connected future. What You'll Learn- Why listening is a crucial skill in our personal and professional lives.- Common misconceptions about effective listening.- Is being silent sufficient to demonstrate great listening?- It's all about timing when it comes to giving advice.Podcast Timestamps(00:00) – Why Listening is a (Leadership) Superpower(02:52) – Key Behaviors of Great Listening(15:47) – A Personal Example(19:11) – A Final ThoughtKEYWORDSPositive Leadership, Active Listening, Communication Skills, Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, Effective Communication, Seek First to Understand, Asking Questions, Building Relationships, The Power of Curiosity, Navigating Disagreements, Unsolicited Advice, Polarized World, Open Dialogue, CEO Success

Hi Guys!! Welcome back. Today, I sat down with Professor Ashish Bhatia. Ashish Bhatia is a Clinical Associate Professor of Management & Entrepreneurship at NYU Stern, where he's pioneering a bold new vision for entrepreneurial education. He's been featured in Harvard Business Review, TechCrunch, and has shared insights on major platforms like MSNBC and Bloomberg. Beyond the headlines, Professor Bhatia is also the founding force behind one of NYU's most innovative academic programs — the Business, Technology, and Entrepreneurship degree, or BTE. Under his leadership, BTE became the most selective program at Stern in just three years, thanks to a unique, four-year curriculum that blends action and reflection, creativity and strategy — the art and science of building ventures that matter. In 2022, his commitment to teaching earned him a spot on Poets & Quants' list of the Top 50 Business School Professors. hisprogram, along with lessons he learned by living with an entrepreneur (his wife!). Enjoy!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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