The Leadership Podcast

Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, experts on leadership development
  • 4.9 (101)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

We interview great leaders, review the books they read, and speak with highly influential authors who study them.

  1. 6d ago

    The Surprising Link Between Great Parents and Great Leaders

    Lee Benson, CEO of Execute to Win and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of "Your Most Important Number," and "Value Creation Family," believes families and organizations have something in common: they're perfectly designed to produce the results they get. In this conversation, Lee explains why removing every obstacle—whether for employees or children—often creates dependence instead of ownership. He explores why healthy struggle is essential for developing resilience, how creating value matters more than chasing success, why lowering expectations delays independence, and how the same leadership principles that build accountable organizations also build capable families. Whether you're leading a company, raising children, or doing both, this conversation offers practical insights for developing responsibility, resilience, and a lifelong commitment to creating value for others. Find episode 526 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Moments [03:48] Why musicians peak young, according to Lee [07:05] Applying "organizations are perfectly designed" to family [09:57] Why families build dependency instead of ownership [13:14] Unsupervised 70s kids vs. sheltered kids today [16:52] Lee's origin story: kicked out at 17 [18:45] Success vs. intentionally creating value [23:41] Healthy struggle vs. unhealthy struggle [31:55] The leadership behavior that quietly destroys value [37:55] The moment success and value creation split for Lee [41:40] The three value buckets: material, emotional, spiritual [44:48] Lee's closing challenge to listeners Memorable Quotes "Don't be a victim. Be a developer, not a victim." "All the opportunity in the world is in the struggle." "We create the environment from which everybody creates value." "Goals matter, systems to achieve goals matter more. Leadership matters most." "Positive emotional energy, to me, is the scarcest commodity on the planet." "How we show up with their potential is a really big deal." "Everyone's a leader all the time." Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Website | www.etw.com Podcast | www.etw.com/syv-podcast Facebook | www.facebook.com/ETW.executetowin LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/lee-j-benson Instagram | www.instagram.com/executetowin TLP137: How to Spend 60% of Your Time With Your Employees

  2. Aug 19

    When Complexity Becomes the Biggest Obstacle

    David Craig is the author of the Bluebook: How Bold Leadership Unlocked a $27 Billion Success Story, and the former CEO of Refinitiv. David believes organizations rarely fail because of strategy or market conditions. They fail when complexity quietly replaces clarity, making it harder for people to make decisions, serve customers, and move the business forward. In this conversation, David shares the three warning signs he looks for when walking into a struggling company: unclear purpose, meeting overload, and a poor customer experience. David also discusses why creating belief and ownership matters more than having all the answers during transformation. If your organization feels slower, more complicated, or harder to lead than it should, this conversation offers practical lessons for simplifying complexity and leading change with greater clarity. Find episode 525 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | David Craig on When Complexity Becomes the Biggest Obstacle https://bit.ly/TLP-525 Key Moments [03:58] The moment he realized the organization was the obstacle [05:58] Are people, technology, and money the real system [07:22] Leadership practice that matters most in uncertainty [11:40] Is stagnation a leader or system failure [13:48] Creating belief and ownership through change [15:36] The sacrifice conviction actually demands [17:38] Three signs complexity is killing performance [20:00] Why nobody runs effective meetings anymore [23:32] The leadership lesson transformation books skip [25:35] What matters more than the rearview numbers [28:43] Who taught David to bring out the best in people [30:41] The one sentence that sums up the Blue Book Memorable Quotes "Maybe we're not the problem. Maybe the system's the problem." "Many companies thrive by repeating in the same way what works, what is successful, what are the systems that they put in place." "Certainty never really exists. You can rely on certain things happening, but not forever." "There is a mindset that says you embrace change and uncertainty. Some companies thrive on it." "The races are won on the corners, not the straights." "Transformation is a technical challenge, but it's an emotional journey." "Don't b******t people, but actually say, look, if we get through this... just think how fast are its customers going to be for them." "Complexity is like a disease. And you don't always see it. That's the problem." "Don't build your title, build your CV." "Feeling is an undervalued attribute in leadership." "Success in life is not about one or two things. It's doing everything in the right way at the right time, with the right conviction you're going to succeed." "Success doesn't necessarily come from breakthrough innovation, but from flawless execution. A great strategy alone won't win a game or a battle. The win comes from basic blocking and tackling." Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com David Craig Website | www.bluebook.business David Craig LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/davidwicraig

  3. Aug 12

    The Best Leaders Build More Leaders

    Patrick Emmons is the founder of DragonSpears and president of Improving Chicago. For more than two decades, he has built, scaled, and sold technology companies while helping organizations develop stronger leaders and healthier teams. Patrick believes the strongest organizations don't depend on a few exceptional leaders. They grow because leaders are developed at every level. In our conversation, we explore why authentic leadership begins with accepting feedback before asking others to change, why coaching and consistent reinforcement develop stronger teams than annual performance reviews, and how building frontline leaders creates organizations that can grow without relying on micromanagement. If you're building a team that can grow beyond your own leadership, this conversation offers practical lessons for developing leaders throughout your organization. Find episode 524 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Patrick Emmons on The Best Leaders Build More Leaders https://bit.ly/TLP-524 Key Moments [03:55] Patrick's career journey and the leadership lessons he picked up along the way [08:11] The role sales and relationship-building play in entrepreneurial success [11:10] Selling Dragon Spears: what it feels like to let go of your baby [15:47] How selling the business reshaped Patrick's view on leadership [19:07] The secret to having difficult conversations [21:04] Why leaders avoid hard conversations, and how to break the pattern [24:02] What coaching kids sports teaches about coaching people at work [28:06] Coaching a remote team without the sideline advantage [30:45] How AI will reshape sales, selling, and human relationships [32:28] Why a candid, unscripted video beats a polished blog post [35:21] Becoming relevant to people before you try to sell to them Memorable Quotes "People can smell when you're not being real." "Your lack of success in the academic environment does not predict future success or lack thereof in the workplace." "Leadership at every level is something that's just not seen as much of a strategic advantage as it could be." "Things don't get better with time." "Kids are less complicated. They're less nuanced at hiding their things." "You've got to keep reinforcing, and you got to simplify the vernacular." "When you can simplify down, you can grow." "Become relevant to the people you want to sell to before you try to sell to them." "Humans buy from humans. Because of human problems, not software problems." "There's no greater self help program in the world than being an entrepreneur because you got nobody to blame but yourself." "Ask them what you can be doing better and you'd be amazed what you get out of it." "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." - Albert Einstein Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Patrick Emmons Podcast| Innovation and the Digital Enterprise Podcast Patrick Emmon LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/patrickemmons

  4. Aug 5

    Tom Rath: The Daily Question That Changes How You Lead

    Purpose isn't something you find once and follow forever. It's something you practice every day. Tom Rath is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of StrengthsFinder 2.0, How Full Is Your Bucket?, Eat Move Sleep, and his latest book, What's the Point?: Turning Purpose Into Your Daily Superpower. After decades studying what helps people thrive, Tom believes we've been thinking about purpose all wrong. Instead of waiting to discover some singular calling, he argues that purpose is built through the choices we make and the questions we ask every day—starting with one simple question: What's the point? In our conversation, we explore why leadership has become too self-focused instead of centered on what others need, how small daily decisions shape a meaningful life, and why the rise of AI makes human judgment, relationships, and genuine conversations more valuable than ever. If you're looking to lead with greater intention, make better decisions, and build work that truly matters, this episode offers a practical framework for turning purpose into something you live—not just something you chase. Find episode 523 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Tom Rath on The Daily Question That Changes How You Lead https://bit.ly/TLP-523 Key Moments [04:03] The leadership belief Tom has changed his mind about in six years [05:42] Why purpose isn't a grand concept, it's built into every hour [08:34] Passion vs. meaning vs. purpose, and why "follow your passion" is bad advice [11:12] Balancing self, purpose, and business reality — managing the leadership "triad" [14:46] The radiologist study: how a simple photo changed diagnostic accuracy [17:10] Why leaders are the worst role models for well-being, and what to do about it [20:51] How AI is rewriting the social contract between responding and creating [22:55] Success vs. usefulness, and what headstones actually say [24:40] The "two deaths" — Jim's take on legacy and what outlives us [28:18] The one habit leaders can't skip: modeling, not mandating [32:29] The single question Tom believes every leader should ask daily [35:41] How Tom's view on team fabric vs. self-understanding evolved since StrengthsFinder [37:20] The common thread across all of Tom's books, from bucket-filling to purpose Memorable Quotes "Purpose is really something that you build into every hour of your day." "I think being useful is a lot more important [than being successful]." "Success and achievement push you further into the hamster wheel in a lot of cases." "If the hour is your currency and the response is your hammer, you will have the first jobs to be automated and displaced." "Leaders on average are the worst role models in that regard, full stop." "The more time you spend focusing on your own happiness and how to make yourself happy, that has diminishing returns and doesn't really work out as well as most people imagine." "You don't always know that you have tomorrow. You got to do it today." "Our strengths are only relevant in the context of a relationship or a contribution to the world." "The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity." - Leo Tolstoy Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Tom Rath Website | tomrath.org/careersight Tom Rath LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/trath Tom Rath episode | TLP198: Life's Great Question - with Tom Rath

  5. Jul 29

    Stop Building a Life That Looks Good but Feels Wrong

    Kim Svoboda is the founder of Aspiration Catalyst and author of BOLD Leadership: The Adventure of Building Excuse-Proof, Goal-Crushing Teams. Kim argues that leadership isn't about position, power, or title. It's about creating a vision others believe in while leading in a way that aligns with your values. Too many leaders achieve external success without ever asking whether the life they're building reflects what matters most. In this conversation, Kim shares how a simple values exercise exposed the gap between the leader she wanted to be and the life she was actually living. She explains how that experience became the foundation for her BOLD framework (Brilliant vision, Oneness, Lighthouse leadership, Daring drive), why intentional leadership starts with knowing what you stand for, and how leaders create stronger cultures by serving as a lighthouse for others rather than simply driving results. If success looks good on paper but feels disconnected from what matters most, this conversation is a practical reminder that leadership begins with leading yourself first. Find episode 522on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Kim Svoboda on Stop Building a Life That Looks Good but Feels Wrong https://bit.ly/TLP-522 Key Moments [06:12] From running a $1B P&L to feeling burnt out, disengaged, and miserable at the top [10:51] What being a BOLD leader really means and the yin-yang of boldness [13:34] Why leaders spend all day firefighting instead of doing what actually matters and the antidote [15:26] Nature vs. nurture: how much of team performance is leadership, how much is selection [19:05] How one toxic top performer can quietly derail an entire high-performing team [22:48] Why employee engagement has been stuck for a decade — and what actually drives it [28:17] Why leaders lose intentionality — and how to reclaim your circle of control [35:10] Business ethics and trust — what companies are getting right, and where they overstep [39:22] Kim's closing thoughts — leadership isn't about position or title, it's about what you create Memorable Quotes "Bold is a framework for being an intentional leader and bringing everyone along with you." "Get 80% of the data and information that you need to make a solid decision, and then go. The next 20% isn't really going to matter that much." "When you're tolerating behavior that isn't in alignment with the goals that you have, it is soul crushing for teams." "Sometimes your top performer, if they don't have the right cultural and values piece, is actually hurting you more than they're helping." "What do you truly have control over? I like people to just focus on what you have agency over and start there." "I actually did take a step back and spent time really getting clear on what it was that I wanted. And I don't think that most people do that." "Every relationship we have starts with trust." "I think it's to treat others the way that they wish to be treated." "Leadership isn't really about position or power or title. I really feel like it's about what you create." Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Kim Svoboda Website | www.aspirationcatalyst.com Additional Information | www.boldleadershipbook.com/home Facebook | www.facebook.com/aspirationcatalyst LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/kimsvoboda

  6. Jul 22

    Why Traditional Networking Is Broken

    Donnie Boivin is the CEO and founder of Success Champion Networking, five-time bestselling author, and founder of the Badass Business Summit. Donnie argues that traditional networking fails anyone selling high-value services. Too many people spend their time collecting business cards from people who will never buy from them instead of building relationships with people who can open the right doors. In this conversation, Donnie explains why the best networkers focus on helping others grow before asking for anything in return, why collaborating with competitors can create opportunities neither side could win alone, and how consistently investing time in relationships leads to bigger deals than chasing referrals ever will. If you're looking to build a stronger network, close larger opportunities, and create lasting business relationships, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for doing it differently. Find episode 521 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Donnie Boivin on Why Traditional Networking Is Broken https://bit.ly/TLP-521 Key Moments [04:01] How Donnie fell into networking almost by accident [05:32] The Home Depot story that changed his whole approach [09:17] The biggest mindset shift networking actually requires [12:52] Why salespeople stay behind their laptops instead of networking [15:46] How Success Champion curates chapters for real fit [22:02] Leading well when everyone around you is in transition [24:52] Why influence matters as much as relationships [27:06] The case for showing up completely as yourself [29:53] What AI means for the future of relationships Memorable Quotes "I define networking as building other people's businesses." "Your clients are not networking. The people who are in the rooms you have access to can't buy your stuff." "If you can't measure it, it's very hard to find success with anything." "The more you try and be your authentic self, the more you're going to enjoy life." "It's the five people you surround yourself with, but it's also the five prospects you're going after, the five clients you currently have, the five people you're networking with." "Be a hell of a lot more mindful about the people you are surrounding yourself with." "Effective networking isn't a result of luck. It requires hard work and persistence." Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Donnie Boivin Website | https://donnieboivin.com Donnie Boivin YouTube | www.youtube.com/@donnieboivin Donnie Boivin Twitter | @donnieboivin Donnie Boivin Facebook | www.facebook.com/donnie.boivin Donnie Boivin LinkedIn |www.linkedin.com/in/donnieboivin Donnie Boivin Instagram | www.instagram.com/donnie.boivin

  7. Jul 15

    Empathy Without Lowering the Bar with David Gray

    David Gray is the CEO of FedUp Foods, a values-driven beverage company serving major retailers. His purpose-driven leadership has earned national recognition, including being named one of the MO 100 Top Impact CEOs, an annual ranking of purpose-driven business leaders, and receiving the Pros to Know Award. David believes the best leaders never force a choice between empathy and accountability. In times of uncertainty, people need both. Connection creates the trust that makes accountability possible. In this conversation, David explains how leading through Hurricane Helene reinforced the importance of putting people first while communicating clearly through uncertainty. He shares the practical crisis leadership framework that guided his team through Hurricane Helene, explains why values become even more important as organizations scale, and reflects on what changed his mind about leadership: people really can grow when leaders take the time to understand and develop them. Whether you're leading through change or simply trying to build a stronger culture, this conversation offers a practical framework for balancing compassion with accountability while staying true to your values. Find episode 520 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | David Gray on Empathy Without Lowering the Bar https://bit.ly/TLP-520 Key Moments [03:17] How profit sharing and gardens shaped your culture [05:31] Do values activate, or do people? [06:16] Leading through Hurricane Helene and what it taught and what leaders need to think differently in disruption [10:22] The four-point crisis playbook [13:38] We've had 20 years of stability—is this the new normal or the regular normal? [15:47] How to lead through slow-drip crises, not just hurricanes [21:19] Protecting your mission as a for-profit company [23:49] The push and pull between profit and purpose [27:09] Dividend model vs market cap model—which works better for values-driven companies? [31:58] What leadership belief did you finally unlearn? [33:56] Your one main thought for leaders listening Memorable Quotes "If you don't have the right values, then you can't nurture a culture." "We need to create a culture that's ground up, not top down." "You need to understand where your people are at. You need to know if they're safe and you need to understand what their needs are." "You don't have to have all the answers, but you're keeping people abreast of the work that you're going." "We are doing more with less. That's just the reality and that the strategies that we put in place can be disrupted at any time." "We have never had to compromise in a way that takes away from our mission." "If you don't connect, I guess that accountability piece could probably feel like harassment." "We have the privilege and the responsibility to develop our people both personally and professionally because they spend probably more time with us than they do with their friends and their loved ones." Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com FedUp Foods Website | www.fedupfoods.co David Gray LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/david-gray-ab33b02a FedUp Foods Instagram | www.instagram.com/fedupfoods.co

  8. Jul 8

    The Leadership Idea We Missed for 250 Years

    Patrick Ryan is the author of "The Moral Market: Adam Smith and the Promise of Virtuous Capitalism." Patrick argues that capitalism was never intended to be separated from morality. Modern business leaders often treat ethics as a compliance issue or a reputational concern. Adam Smith saw it differently. He believed markets only function when they are built on justice, reciprocity, and trust. In this conversation, Patrick explains how shareholder primacy reshaped leadership thinking, why leaders should measure success beyond short-term financial performance, and how Smith's concept of the impartial spectator can help leaders make better decisions when competing interests collide. For leaders trying to balance performance, responsibility, and long-term value creation, this conversation offers a practical framework for making decisions that are both effective and principled. Find episode 519 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Patrick Ryan on The Leadership Idea We Missed for 250 Years https://bit.ly/TLP-519 Key Moments [04:20] What have leaders fundamentally misunderstood about capitalism as a moral system? [08:44] How does the duty of care in law connect to Smith's impartial spectator concept? [12:40] What practices should leaders adopt to institutionalize the impartial spectator? [15:53] Performative leadership versus legitimate storytelling. [21:14] Where does the rules and system play versus personal responsibility in leadership? [25:25] Where have you personally struggled between what's profitable and what's just? [28:53] For busy leaders without time to reflect—what's your closing advice? Memorable Quotes "Morality is not a friction. It's actually the lubricant that makes markets work." "Prosperity without justice is mere plunder." "He believed that economic exchange was a way of creating trust, which is quite interesting really, using capital, an early form of capitalism, using competition, using economic exchange as a way of creating a commonality as opposed to splitting people apart." "Morality and respect, and that level of reciprocity is the oil that generates everything. It's not extractive, it's value additive." "If a leader that performs integrity creates a culture that performs integrity, rather than a leader that is and has integrity. The tone from the top. It's vitally important." "Legitimate storytelling is the honest description of something that's actually happening. It's not a dishonest description of something you would like to happen." "The majority of us want to live a happy, healthy life where we have created value for our companies, we've created happiness in our families, we've done good works for our communities, and we're able to point to that and be proud that we've made that difference." "You should neither be rewarded nor penalized for moral luck. You should be rewarded or penalized for the actions that you took yourself and the effect that you had in creating value." Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Patrick Ryan LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/patrickryan

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About

We interview great leaders, review the books they read, and speak with highly influential authors who study them.

Information

  • Creator
    Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, experts on leadership development
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    536
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    Copyright © 2016-2025 Rafti Advisors, LLC & Self Reliant Leadership, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Leadership Podcast

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