Imperfect Leaders Jeffrey Cohn, Podcast Host

Harvard is an iconic, 387 year old institution of higher education.  And it's time for a cultural overhaul.

The events of the past year – racism, antisemitism, violence on campus, the removal of its president - have thrown their imperfections into stark relief for the world to see.

Today’s guest - Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana – is very open and humble about Harvard’s imperfections. But that doesn’t mean he’s sitting still. Far from it. Recognizing he casts a long shadow and embracing a 'beginner's mindset', Khurana is spearheading the Intellectual Vitality effort which he hopes will revitalize the school’s culture.

The lofty goal is to create a safe space environment across the entire campus and community – both physically and psychologically – that encourages tough conversations about divisive problems, in which students can learn from each other, regardless of how uncomfortable it is, at first.

As Dean Khurana says, “let’s be hard on the problem, but easy on each other.”

We should all be keeping an eye on Harvard's progress. Lessons gleaned may help other universities - and other divided institutions and partisan leaders across America in the media, politics, education, and business.

www.imperfectleaders.com, Jefffrey Cohn

Coach Bruce Pearl teaches his players to be 'great receivers.' Find out in today’s podcast what this means and why it's so important.  Auburn Coach Pearl’s lessons of empathy and authenticity don't just apply in basketball – but in politics, business, and life.  Get ready for the Big Dance.
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U.S. Representative Dean Phillips is an innovative leader. He has drawn praise from modern day business heroes - like hedge fund icon Bill Ackman - for his willingness to shake things up - like staid industries including vodka, gelato, and most recently, U.S. politics. He even threw his hat in the ring and ran for President of the United States, even though everyone knew it was a long shot campaign. Find out what he learned during this intense process.

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On any given day, a casual investor can tune into CNBC and be in total awe.  Public companies are showcased and glamorized by messianic analysts in a concerted effort to push stock prices higher. But in reality, as I recently wrote, the future economy is increasingly being financed in private markets, far away from the glitz and glamor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Today’s guest – Ted Bililies – is a world leading private equity expert. Long gone are the old, wild west days of KKR and Barbarians at the Gate, when private equity investors would buy a company, saddle it with massive debt, ruthlessly squeeze out costs, and sell the company for a quick buck.

According to Ted, PE investors, in today's world, are taking a radically different approach to adding value – a fundamentally more human approach that offers a more enduring advantage, and one that is certain to appeal to a entirely new generation of talent.  

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One of the best leaders in the NBA is today’s guest – Tim Connelly – General Manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Before billionaire owner Marc Lore and co-owner Alex Rodriguez lured him to Minnesota, Connelly worked side by side with Stan and Josh Kroenke and Coach Michael Malone - as the team's GM who helped the Denver Nuggets win their very first world championship.

What is Tim’s secret sauce?  Is it superior analytics and competitive intelligence? Nope. Actually, it’s the exact opposite. Tim is an incredibly emotionally intelligent leader – comfortable in his own skin and able to forge authentic relationships with star talent like Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert.

Although Tim prefers to stay out of the spotlight – and rarely will you see him do public interviews on ESPN or the NBA on TNT– he was gracious enough to share wisdom with our listeners. We hope you enjoy!

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The Milken Institute is a think (and action) tank - founded by legendary visionary Michael Milken - brings together brilliant people and world leaders to develop blueprints for tackling some of our planet's most critical problems including poverty, hunger, and chronic disease.

Rich Ditizio is an incredible CEO who is responsible for leading this effort. He's the symphony conductor who works hard to create a psychologically safe space for creative talent to share radical ideas, challenge each others core assumptions, and work towards a common vision.

Although much more soft-spoken, in many ways Rich reminds me of some of our past guests who lead creative and iconic organizations: IDEO, Cirque du Soleil, and Pixar.

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