How to Make a Leader

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How to Make a Leader brings you the ideas and voices shaping the future of leadership. Host Hannah Beaver sits down with bold thinkers, builders, and changemakers across learning and leadership development to explore how great leaders are developed, through smart design, real-world experience, and the moments that matter. These are candid, curiosity-driven conversations crafted for L&D and leadership development professionals who want fresh insight, sharper thinking, and a smarter way to build leaders who thrive. Brought to you by Big Think+.

  1. HACE 22 H

    Build a system of learning (not just one-off programs)

    T. Rowe Price doesn't do one-off training programs. They engineer leadership. Ryan Smith leads Global Leadership and Career Development at T. Rowe Price, where he's spent nearly four years building a company-wide learning system that reaches leaders at every level, from the C-suite to frontline associates. The foundation: a belief that everyone, regardless of title, has the capacity to lead. He shares how they built their leadership academies, why co-creation was non-negotiable at every level, foolproof tactics to get buy-in from the C-suite, and how they turn a learning event into lasting behavior change. Things to listen for:(00:00) Introducing Ryan Smith(01:13) The “everyone is a leader” mantra(02:39) The difference between leaders and managers(05:51) Why systems of learning became a priority(09:33) Defining a system of learning(10:28) Leadership academies and behavior frameworks(12:27) Insights from the Executive Leadership Academy(13:37) Building manager capability(15:16) Building communities of practice(17:10) Driving adoption and executive buy-in(19:56) Connecting learning systems to organizational metrics(23:02) Measuring engagement and performance(24:30) First steps for leadership development strategy(25:53) Best leadership advice Ryan has received About Ryan Smith:Ryan Smith is the Head of Global Leadership and Career Development at T. Rowe Price, where he focuses on career mobility and building scalable leadership systems that develop leaders at every level of the organization. Before joining T. Rowe Price, Ryan spent 15 years at Truist, leading leadership and professional development for more than 45,000 employees. His work centers on creating equitable access to leadership development and aligning learning with real business outcomes. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.

    27 min

  2. 9 ABR

    Quick question: What can L&D learn from the marketing team?

    We’re back with a Quick Question: one big question, one expert answer, in five minutes.  Mike Taylor explains why learning teams often underestimate the role of attention, and how ideas from cognitive and marketing psychology can improve the way training is designed. He shares six simple attention triggers that make learning more relevant, tangible and memorable, and shows how L&D teams can move from one-off courses to campaign-style learning. About Mike:  With over two decades of experience as a learning consultant, Mike has been a driving force behind transformative instructional design and organizational performance. He is a Learning Consultant at Nationwide, a faculty member in Franklin University's Graduate Instructional Design and Technology program, and co-author of the book, Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro. His work bridges the gap between academic theory and real-world practice, equipping future learning professionals with the skills to excel in today's dynamic landscape.  Connect with Mike here. Check out his book and his newsletter.

    5 min

  3. 12 MAR

    How to build a manager development program from scratch

    Building a manager development program from scratch is hard. But scaling it is harder. Sarah Bright leads Learning & Development at Darktrace. She built a tiered manager development program from scratch, training 75% of all managers across 20 learning cohorts in two years. She shares how her team designed a program that adapts to a fast-moving business, the core competencies that define great managers, and how to measure the real impact of leadership development. Things to listen for:(00:00) Welcome to How to Make A Leader(01:13) Building the L&D function from scratch(02:33) Getting buy-in for manager development(03:49) The first version of Darktrace’s manager program(05:10) Tiered manager development curriculum(06:39) Core competencies for developing leaders(08:31) Measuring the success of L&D initiatives(12:20) Creating a thriving manager community(15:26) What's next for L&D at Darktrace(19:19) One piece of leadership advice About Sarah Bright: Sarah Bright is the Head of Learning and Development at Darktrace, where she leads global initiatives that support more than 2,500 employees, including scalable learning pathways, clear career progression frameworks and manager development programmes. She started at Darktrace as a Sales Operations Analyst, where identifying trends and patterns contributed to her evidence-based approach to people development.   This analytical mindset influences how she creates systems that help people feel clearer, more engaged, and able to progress in their careers. Sarah is passionate about combining data, storytelling, and emerging learning technologies to create development experiences that empower employees to grow with confidence and purpose. Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn. Learn more about Darktrace.

    20 min

  4. 5 FEB

    Quick question: How can leaders give effective feedback?

    Introducing Quick Questions: one big question, one expert answer, in five minutes. Giving constructive feedback is uncomfortable for most leaders. Amy Gallo is a best-selling author and contributing editor at Harvard Business Review who has written extensively about communication, conflict, and feedback. She explains why intention matters just as much as wording, and shares a straightforward framework that makes difficult conversations feel more grounded and productive. She also explains how L&D teams can help leaders practice feedback before the stakes are high. About Amy:  Amy Gallo is a workplace expert who writes and speaks about effective communication, interpersonal dynamics, gender, difficult conversations, and feedback. She is the best-selling author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict, as well as hundreds of articles for Harvard Business Review.  https://www.amyegallo.com/

    7 min

  5. 15 ENE

    Design learning that earns attention

    Jonny Thomson isn’t an L&D professional. He’s someone who’s spent years figuring out how to earn learners’ attention.  After teaching philosophy in Oxford, Jonny shifted to short-form educational content, building an audience of over two million people across social platforms. He’s spent years capturing attention, encouraging curiosity, and making learning content that resonates with his audience and followers of Mini Philosophy.  In this conversation, he talks about microlearning as less of a format, and more of an activation tool. A tool that can capture attention and curiosity, and points learners toward deeper exploration. If you’re responsible for designing, enabling, or influencing learning at scale, this episode will provide practical ways to use microlearning more deliberately. Things to listen for:(00:00) Introducing Jonny Thomson(03:04) How to capture attention in 90 seconds(05:31) Why learning remains human(06:56) How to make microlearning feel natural and not forced(07:49) Everyday moments that create authentic learning(08:19) Three things to make microlearning succeed(12:15) The three virtues of a successful leader About Jonny Thomson:Jonny Thomson taught philosophy in Oxford for more than a decade before turning to writing full-time. He’s a columnist at Big Think and is the award-winning, bestselling author of three books that have been translated into 22 languages. Jonny is also the founder of Mini Philosophy, a social network of around two million curious, intelligent minds. He's known all over the world for making philosophy accessible, relatable, and fun. To learn more about Jonny, check out Mini Philosophy on Substack or Instagram. YouTube Content ID: MV0ZLFAMVUI3WWRB

    17 min

  6. 11/12/2025

    5 ways to make your leadership development program succeed

    Most leadership development programs look good on paper but fall short in practice. Leaders often miss the real support, core skills, and clear metrics they need to succeed. Over the last few months, Lavinia Mehedințu, co-founder of Offbeat, spoke with over 150 L&D professionals to understand what’s working, what’s not, and how people feel about leadership development heading into 2026. In this episode, she breaks down the findings and shares five recommendations for improving your leadership development programs. Her insights focus on what leaders truly need: practical support, clearer measures of success, and more opportunities to learn from one another. You’ll learn: What’s missing from our leadership development programs Program cocreation and the “IKEA effect”The most effective learning modality (hint: it’s peer learning)How to measure leadership performance with confidence Things to listen for:(00:00) Introducing Lavinia Mehedințu(01:17) What 158 L&D professionals revealed about the state of leadership development(03:52) Clear performance metrics: the challenge(07:42) The gaps in how leaders use AI(10:54) Creating systems that support collaboration(13:32) Co‑creation and the ‘IKEA effect’(18:11) Why peer learning remains a powerful tool(20:13) How delivery and communication shape adoption(25:03) A simple first step for measuring leadership performance(29:06) Where L&D teams should focus next year(30:50) Leadership advice and book recommendations To learn more about Lavinia, check out her LinkedIn and Offbeat’s website. Check out their upcoming conference, Offbeat Fest in London in May 2026.  Want to learn more about getting Big Think+ for your business? Schedule a call with us at https://www2.bigthink.com/request-a-demo-big-think-plus  About Lavinia Mehedintu: Lavinia Mehedintu has been designing learning experiences and career development programs for the past 11 years both in the corporate world and in higher education. As a Co-Founder and Learning Architect at Offbeat, she’s applying adult learning principles so that learning & people professionals can connect, collaborate, and grow. She’s passionate about social learning, behavior change, and technology and constantly puts in the work to bring these three together to drive innovation in the learning & development space. Content ID: MV0ZLFAMVUI3WWRB

    34 min

  7. 23/10/2025

    Want culture change? Build a learning philosophy first.

    Every great learning culture starts with one thing: a clear philosophy of how people grow.  Dwayne Britton has spent his career shaping culture and capability at Apple, Lululemon, Adidas, Zalando, and On. Across each, he’s learned that lasting impact comes when learning is guided by philosophy, not just programming. In this episode, Dwayne shares how L&D teams can redefine their role from content creators to cultural amplifiers, by building a learning philosophy that connects business strategy, brand identity, and human growth. You’ll learn: The difference between a learning culture and a learning philosophyHow a learning philosophy positions L&D as a strategic partnerThe SPARK framework Dwayne used at On to connect learning to cultureHow to align brand, business, and learning goals How to identify your organization’s learning beliefs Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Dwayne Britton (02:19) Dwayne’s path from musical theater to L&D (04:36) What defines a learning culture vs. philosophy (06:47) Three realms every L&D program should serve (10:03) The question that defines your learning philosophy (12:20) The SPARK method for scaling learning (15:06) How to get leadership buy-in for new L&D initiatives (19:36) Advice for L&D teams to increase cultural impact To learn more about Dwayne, check out his LinkedIn, his website, and his musical background.  Want to learn more about getting Big Think+ for your business? Schedule a call with us at https://www2.bigthink.com/request-a-demo-big-think-plus About Dwayne Britton:Dwayne Britton brings 15+ years at the intersection of learning, culture and brand. He’s shaped programs at Apple, Adidas, Zalando and Lululemon, and led Global Learning & Development at On. Through his Berlin-based consultancy, DAY|WON, Dwayne provides fractional L&D leadership for startups, scale-ups and internal teams, with a focus on brand-led onboarding, culture building and collaboration. He partners with leaders to design clear, practical programs and workshops that align teams, clarify decisions and build momentum.Dwayne also serves as an L&D Strategic Advisor to Manageable, a UK startup helping managers build the confidence and habits to lead well.

    22 min

  8. 11/09/2025

    How to build frontline leaders in technical organizations

    Technical expertise doesn’t automatically translate into leadership traits. So how do we help engineers, scientists, and specialists become confident and effective managers? Leadership development expert and former SpaceX trainer, Matt Gjertsen, shares how to grow strong leaders inside technical organizations. Drawing on 15 years of experience across aerospace, defense, and emerging tech, Matt specializes in turning skilled technical professionals into confident, effective leaders. You’ll learn: Why leadership is often the biggest blocker to scale, not technologyHow to engage technical employees in learning (even the skeptical ones)Why engineers are uniquely suited to lead and what holds them backThe mindset shift new technical managers must make Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Matt Gjertsen (02:09) Why technical leadership is a unique challenge (03:21) Scaling hard tech requires solving people problems (05:23) The leadership gap in reindustrialization and the trades (07:59) A humbling mindset shift: You can’t lead alone (10:12) Why engineers are better at conflict than you think (13:13) Getting skeptical technical leaders to buy in (15:01) Designing leadership programs that drive measurable change (16:27) Microlearning done right: Narrow goals, real impact (19:16) How to get employees to engage in training (22:54) Start small: The fastest way to executive buy-in To learn more about Matt, check out his LinkedIn and his website. Want to learn more about getting Big Think+ for your business? Schedule a call with us at https://www2.bigthink.com/request-a-demo-big-think-plus About Matt Gjertsen: Matt Gjertsen is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and former Air Force Instructor Pilot with 2500 flight hours. After leaving active duty, he spent over 4 years leading the training and development team at SpaceX before founding Better Every Day Studios in 2021.  Matt’s 20 years of experience working with and leading high performing teams all over the world has given him a unique perspective on what it takes to lead teams in this ever changing world. He has previously shared these lessons with organizations like the XPRIZE Foundation, Lockheed Martin, and NASA.  He and his team and Better Every Day Studios are now on a mission to train better managers, build better companies, and create a better world.

    28 min
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How to Make a Leader brings you the ideas and voices shaping the future of leadership. Host Hannah Beaver sits down with bold thinkers, builders, and changemakers across learning and leadership development to explore how great leaders are developed, through smart design, real-world experience, and the moments that matter. These are candid, curiosity-driven conversations crafted for L&D and leadership development professionals who want fresh insight, sharper thinking, and a smarter way to build leaders who thrive. Brought to you by Big Think+.

Información

  • Creador
    Big Think+
  • Años de actividad
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodios
    24
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Big Think+

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