The Leadership Dance

Alissa Hsu Lynch
  • 5.0 (17)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to The Leadership Dance, where Alissa Hsu Lynch—former world-class dancer turned global business executive—shares insights and inspiration from visionary leaders who are breaking barriers in the arts and business worlds. Tune in to discover how to step into your star power and confidently choreograph your own leadership dance.

  1. Ep. 34: Performing like a fighter pilot, with Christian "Boo" Boucousis

    FEB 2

    Ep. 34: Performing like a fighter pilot, with Christian "Boo" Boucousis

    What can leaders learn from fighter pilots about performing under pressure? Former fighter pilot and CEO Christian "Boo" Boucousis joins The Leadership Dance to share how elite performers make decisions in chaos, execute with clarity, and stay calm when it matters most. From cockpit-tested leadership habits to practical tools like plan–brief–execute–debrief, this episode breaks down what it means to perform like a fighter pilot. From a five-year-old boy mesmerized at an air show to one of fewer than 400 fighter pilots trained over four decades, Boo's journey reveals how his air force training taught him to value time in seconds and put the mission above ego. This candid conversation explores friction, burnout, digital overload, and how to move from reactive days to truly flawless execution. 💡 Key Takeaways: High performers don't just have good ideas; they turn decisions into action. The fighter pilot mindset is relentlessly growth-oriented: define what success looks like today, then get slightly better tomorrow. Calm is a leadership advantage. In chaos, people look to the calmest people in the room. Connect with Boo: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-boo-boucousis/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianbooboucousis/  Website: https://callmeboo.com/about/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fewpodcast ✅ Sign up for the newsletter:  https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance 👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

    35 min
  2. Ep. 33: Creativity is a leadership muscle, with Tina Wells

    JAN 19

    Ep. 33: Creativity is a leadership muscle, with Tina Wells

    "Curiosity is a cure for stagnation." Tune in to meet mover and shaker Tina Wells, an author, entrepreneur, and trend spotter, as she shares her insights on what it takes to design a life and career you love across multiple chapters. Her incredible journey from teen founder to agency leader, product designer, and bestselling writer reflects her approach to embracing curiosity in all its manifestations. Tina discusses how a "happy accident" at 16 grew into a powerful youth insights company, why she ultimately chose to close a successful business, and how that bold move opened the door to writing more than 20 books, developing Target-exclusive products, and a new chapter centered on content and creativity. This conversation is a candid look at taking risks, reinvention, and how aligning your work with your values can change not just your business, but your whole life. 💡 Key Takeaways: Creativity isn't a personality trait; it's a practice What makes Gen Z tick and what business leaders misunderstand about younger generations Why people are craving deeper, more meaningful, and more analog experiences, and why artists and creators have an important role to play right now Connect with Tina: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinawells/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinawells/  Website: www.tinawells.com  ✅ Sign up for the newsletter:  https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance 👉Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

    43 min
  3. Ep. 32: Delivering impact with affirming care, with Liana Guzmán

    JAN 5

    Ep. 32: Delivering impact with affirming care, with Liana Guzmán

    What does it mean to lead with values when the political landscape makes inclusion harder, not easier? In this episode of The Leadership Dance, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Liana Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, to explore what real leadership looks like when rhetoric, risk, and responsibility collide. Liana shares her personal journey growing up in Puerto Rico and the mainland U.S., her nonlinear career across marketing, fintech, and healthcare, and why she's committed to building a future of LGBTQIA+ affirming care that prioritizes outcomes over optics. Together, they unpack how leaders can stay anchored to what's right and why affirming care isn't about statements but about access. Liana introduces a powerful leadership framework that balances right, righteousness, and effectiveness, and offers practical guidance for leaders navigating tradeoffs without losing their North Star. 💡 Key Takeaways: How leaders can "change the words, not the work" when it comes to equity and inclusion What affirming care means for the LGBTQIA+ community Why first-principles thinking is essential for transforming entrenched systems like healthcare Connect with Liana: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/folxhealth/ Website: www.folxhealth.com  Substack: https://futurerx.substack.com/  ✅ Sign up for the newsletter:  https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance 👉Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

    29 min
  4. 2025 Highlights, with Alissa Hsu Lynch

    12/22/2025

    2025 Highlights, with Alissa Hsu Lynch

    A little over a year ago, I launched The Leadership Dance podcast to shine a light on amazing people who don't fit the conventional mold - people who are choreographing their own leadership dances. Over the past year, this podcast has grown into a global community through honest conversations with trailblazers across business and the arts. As we head into the next year, I'm excited to continue exploring the art of leadership, creativity, career reinvention, and what it means to choreograph your own leadership journey with more inspiring voices and real-world lessons. Thank you for listening and watching!    ✅ Sign up for newsletter: https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance    👉 Links to listen and connect: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance    Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

    2 min
  5. Ep. 31: From SNL to producing her next act, with Lindsay Shookus

    12/15/2025

    Ep. 31: From SNL to producing her next act, with Lindsay Shookus

    Former Emmy award-winning SNL producer Lindsay Shookus shares the trust-building strategies, people skills, and leadership lessons that carried her from two decades at Saturday Night Live into a powerful next act as a speaker and executive coach. In this candid conversation, she opens up about resilience, reinvention, and the transformational relationships that shaped her career, and how you can apply the same tools in your own leadership journey. Drawing on stories from booking A-list guests and surviving high-pressure live TV, Lindsay discusses how thoughtfulness, a relentless work ethic, and treating celebrities like humans (not idols) helped her build deep trust. She now applies those same skills to help leaders identify their superpowers, stay grounded in chaos, and navigate the inevitable "wobbles" of career pivots. 💡 Key Takeaways: Build transformational relationships, not transactional ones. Leadership is dealing with the hard stuff, not just the good stuff. Stay true to who you are, even when your industry tests your boundaries. Connect with Lindsay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-shookus-7869212aa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shookusshookus  Website: www.lindsayshookus.com  ✅ Sign up for the newsletter:  https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance 👉Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance Video credit for Alex vs. A-Rod (2025): Home Box Office, Inc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03G0WfDiGEU

    32 min
  6. Ep. 30: Creating a high-performing culture, with James & Krista White

    12/01/2025

    Ep. 30: Creating a high-performing culture, with James & Krista White

    What does it really take to build an organization where people thrive - especially in a world transformed by technology, generational change, and new expectations? In this energizing episode, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with James D. White, renowned board leader and former Jamba CEO, and his daughter Krista White, rising workplace culture strategist and writer. Together, they share how their experience as a father-daughter team powered their new best-selling book, Culture Design, and reveal why transformation starts with rethinking culture from the inside out. Tune in for actionable stories on creating workplaces that are resilient, purpose-driven, and ready for the future, from practical rituals to the "big misses" in AI readiness, and the surprising power of middle managers. 💡 Key Takeaways: Every company has a culture, whether by design or default. When leaders are intentional, they build organizations that perform and endure. Millennials and Gen Z are shifting workplace priorities. For them, flexibility, meaningful work, and being valued as whole individuals matter more than just compensation, redefining what creates loyalty and engagement. Rapid advances in technology and AI are changing how work gets done, but empathy remains a uniquely human advantage.  Connect with James and Krista: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristawhite3/ AND https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-d-white-086ab2153/  Instagram: @thekristawhite Website: https://www.jdwhitedesignlabs.com/ ✅ Sign up for the newsletter:  https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance 👉Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

    39 min
  7. Ep. 29: Legacy in motion, with Misty Copeland

    11/04/2025

    Ep. 29: Legacy in motion, with Misty Copeland

    After 25 years with American Ballet Theatre, iconic ballerina Misty Copeland took her final bow in a historic gala performance – but her work is far from over. In this episode of The Leadership Dance, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Misty to explore what comes next: leading from the boardroom, expanding access to the arts through the Misty Copeland Foundation, and reimagining ballet's future for the next generation. Misty opens up about why she initially said 'no' to a farewell performance, the challenges of returning to the stage after five years and becoming a mother, and how she's finding purpose and joy in building something bigger than herself. It's a conversation about movement, meaning, and mission – and how true legacy is measured not by the final curtain, but by the doors you open for others. 💡 Key Takeaways: Legacy means opening doors for others. Leadership begins with empathy and inclusion. Reinvention takes courage—and never losing your love of dance. Connect with Misty: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mistyonpointe/  Website: https://mistycopeland.com/  X: https://x.com/mistyonpointe?lang=en  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/misty-copeland-12b0a634b/  Other: https://www.mistycopelandfoundation.org/  ✅ Sign up for the newsletter: https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance 👉Listen, share, and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

    35 min
  8. Ep. 28: Grace, grit, and guiding dancers, with Stella Abrera

    10/27/2025

    Ep. 28: Grace, grit, and guiding dancers, with Stella Abrera

    Renowned ballerina Stella Abrera joins host Alissa Hsu Lynch on The Leadership Dance to reflect on her extraordinary career with American Ballet Theatre and her journey from the stage to shaping the next generation of dancers. Stella opens up about growing up in a home filled with music and discipline, the perseverance behind rising to principal dancer, and the back injury that nearly ended her career—but ultimately strengthened her resilience and leadership. Now as Artistic Director of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, she shares how she's guiding young dancers with grace, grit, and vision for ballet's future. 💡 Key Takeaways: Success in any field is never a solo act; it's built through trust, mentorship, and collaboration. Adversity can become your greatest teacher — recovery and reinvention often reveal deeper strength and purpose. Growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone. Connect with Stella: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellaabreradetsky/  ABT JKO School: https://www.instagram.com/abtschool/  ✅ Sign up for the newsletter: https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance 👉Listen, share and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

    31 min
See All (36)

Trailer

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Leadership Dance, where Alissa Hsu Lynch—former world-class dancer turned global business executive—shares insights and inspiration from visionary leaders who are breaking barriers in the arts and business worlds. Tune in to discover how to step into your star power and confidently choreograph your own leadership dance.

Information

  • Creator
    Alissa Hsu Lynch
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    The Leadership Dance