98 episodes

Dan Pontefract is an award-winning author, leadership strategist, and culture change expert. Dan's podcast explores all aspects of leadership, organizational culture, purpose, and professional development.

Dan is the best-selling author of five books: WORK-LIFE BLOOM, LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT, and FLAT ARMY. A renowned speaker, Dan has presented at four different TED events and also writes for Forbes and Harvard Business Review. Dan is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, Gustavson School of Business, and has garnered more than 20 industry awards over his career.

Previously, as Chief Envisioner and Chief Learning Officer at TELUS—a Canadian telecommunications company with revenues of $14 billion and 50,000 global employees—he launched the Transformation Office, the TELUS MBA, and the TELUS Leadership Philosophy, all award-winning initiatives that dramatically helped to increase the company’s employee engagement to record levels of nearly 90%. Prior to TELUS, he held senior roles at SAP, Business Objects, and BCIT. He is honoured to be on the Thinkers50 radar list.

Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract Dan Pontefract

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 4 Ratings

Dan Pontefract is an award-winning author, leadership strategist, and culture change expert. Dan's podcast explores all aspects of leadership, organizational culture, purpose, and professional development.

Dan is the best-selling author of five books: WORK-LIFE BLOOM, LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT, and FLAT ARMY. A renowned speaker, Dan has presented at four different TED events and also writes for Forbes and Harvard Business Review. Dan is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, Gustavson School of Business, and has garnered more than 20 industry awards over his career.

Previously, as Chief Envisioner and Chief Learning Officer at TELUS—a Canadian telecommunications company with revenues of $14 billion and 50,000 global employees—he launched the Transformation Office, the TELUS MBA, and the TELUS Leadership Philosophy, all award-winning initiatives that dramatically helped to increase the company’s employee engagement to record levels of nearly 90%. Prior to TELUS, he held senior roles at SAP, Business Objects, and BCIT. He is honoured to be on the Thinkers50 radar list.

    Campfire Lessons for Leaders with Tony Martignetti

    Campfire Lessons for Leaders with Tony Martignetti

    Tony Martignetti is a trusted advisor, leadership coach, facilitator, best-selling author, podcast host, and speaker. He combines over 25 years of business and leadership experience with extreme curiosity to elevate leaders and equip them with the tools to navigate change and unlock their true potential.

    In this episode of Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract, Tony sits down with Dan to discuss his new book, "Campfire Lessons for Leaders: How Uncovering Our Past Can Propel Us Forward.”

    Before becoming the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspired Purpose Partners, Tony was a finance and strategy executive with experience working with some of the leading life sciences companies. Along his journey, he also managed small businesses and ran a financial consulting company.

    Tony hosts The Virtual Campfire podcast and is the author of “Climbing the Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life." He has been featured in many publications, including Fast Company, Forbes, Life Science Leader, and CEO Today. Thinkers360 has recognized him as one of the Top Voices in Leadership and by LeadersHum as one of the Biggest Voices in Leadership.

    Find out more about Tony and his new book at https://www.ipurposepartners.com/book

    More about Dan Pontefract and his range of services and body of work at https://www.danpontefract.com

    • 28 min
    Questions are the Answer with Inqli CEO Rebecca Kirstein Resch

    Questions are the Answer with Inqli CEO Rebecca Kirstein Resch

    Rebecca Kirstein Resch is an award winning serial entrepreneur, an ally to the next generation, and an architect of better workplaces that work for everyone - and powered by humane technology.

    In this episode of Leadership NOW, Rebecca sits down with Dan to discuss a whitepaper she co-authored with Dana Fulwiler Volk titled "Questions Are The Answer." It's a deep-dive look at improving business impact and employee well-being by democratizing access to knowledge with purposeful tech.

    She is the founder & CEO of inqli - an AI-powered social knowledge-sharing platform that accelerates employee and enterprise growth by matching every question to trusted knowledge at work.

    Rebecca has worked alongside world-renowned educators, researchers, and technologists as she’s followed the thread of human growth and development from the classroom to the workplace, and back again in search of transformational systemic change. Her career highlight: sharing the stage with her hero and most-watched TED speaker in history, Sir Ken Robinson. Rebecca envisions a world where everyone has access to opportunities for meaningful work and fulfilling lives.

    You can read the white paper here: https://www.inqli.com/reports/questions-are-the-answer

    More about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com/

    • 38 min
    Gender Equity in Leadership with Jennifer McCollum

    Gender Equity in Leadership with Jennifer McCollum

    Jennifer McCollum is an acclaimed speaker, consultant, coach, and author of the fab book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman’s Rise to CEO." It's the focus of her book, where Dan and Jennifer discuss several different facets of importance regarding gender equity and gender-related issues.

    With two decades of experience leading and building businesses in the leadership space, her expertise includes how to close the gap to gender equity, why the most effective leaders are inclusive leaders, and how to demystify inclusion for leaders and organizations. She has delivered workshops, keynotes, webinars, and podcasts to thousands of leaders globally on live and virtual stages.

    Jennifer is also the former CEO of Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversaw the strategic direction and global operations of this global leadership development firm. Linkage has been consistently ranked as a top 20 training company worldwide, providing assessments, training, coaching, consulting, and conferences.

    Prior to Linkage, Jennifer spent 10 years in Atlanta working for The Coca-Cola Company. She also spent a decade growing businesses within Korn Ferry and the Corporate Executive Board (CEB), now Gartner. At CEB, she led product management within the leadership division, driving innovative solutions that helped organizations select, develop, and place leaders at all levels. She also ran CEB’s Leadership Academies business, which developed more than 30,000 professionals in 2,100 companies throughout 50 countries.

    Previously, Jennifer served as CEO of IntraVision, a leadership consultancy she founded and grew over the course of 8 years. She worked with public companies, start-ups, associations, and nonprofits. Her passion is creating vision, executing strategy, and managing cohesive teams toward aspirational goals, with a special focus on supporting women in leadership roles.

    More about Jennifer's book "In Her Own Voice" at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/731273/in-her-own-voice-by-jennifer-mccollum/

    More about Dan Pontefract and the Leadership NOW program at www.danpontefract.com/podcast

    • 36 min
    Beyond Economic Predictions with Todd Hirsch

    Beyond Economic Predictions with Todd Hirsch

    Todd Hirsch is the "modern economist." In this episode of "Leadership NOW," he delves into the challenges of economic forecasting in today's unpredictable global environment. He discusses the limitations of traditional methods in accurately predicting economic trends amidst frequent, unforeseen 'black swan' events. Todd advocates for a shift from prediction to preparation, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and readiness for various potential outcomes.

    Our conversation further explores the impact of geopolitical events and environmental crises on the economy. Todd highlights how incidents like Russia's invasion of Ukraine and severe weather events directly affect economic conditions worldwide. He also addresses the erosion of public trust in economic expertise, noting the growing skepticism towards expert advice, especially during periods of economic uncertainty. Throughout the dialogue, Todd's insights illuminate the interconnected nature of global events and economics, stressing the need for leaders to be cognizant of a wide range of external factors that can abruptly shift economic landscapes.

    For more than 25 years, Todd worked as an economist for such renowned institutes as ATB Financial, the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Canada West Foundation, and the Bank of Canada. Having had a front-row seat to the key issues and trends impacting and transforming our world, Hirsch delivers dynamic, clear-eyed talks on the economy, adaptability, and creativity.

    Hirsch served as the vice president and chief economist for ATB Financial for over 15 years. He also previously taught economics at the University of Calgary and for the executive education program at the University of Alberta. In recognition of his work, Hirsch has received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum (2022) and Diamond (2012) Jubilee Medals, the University of Alberta’s Alumni Honour Award, and an honorary degree from Mount Royal University.

    The author of four books, Hirsch’s latest, Spiders in COVID Space: Adapting During and After the Pandemic, captures the inspiring and compelling stories of businesses and not-for-profits that reinvented themselves during the pandemic. He is currently the Director of the Energy Transition Centre at Innovate Calgary.

    Visit him at www.toddhirsch.com

    • 38 min
    Head and Heart: Navigating the Dichotomy of Modern Leadership with Dr. Kirstin Ferguson

    Head and Heart: Navigating the Dichotomy of Modern Leadership with Dr. Kirstin Ferguson

    Join me in a captivating episode of "Leadership NOW" as I sit down with Dr. Kirstin Ferguson as she unveils the nuances of modern leadership. An expert with a diverse background, including roles in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Royal Australian Air Force, Dr. Ferguson challenges traditional leadership models in her book, 'Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership.'

    She advocates for a more inclusive leadership definition, emphasizing that true leadership is about influencing change beyond formal titles. Dr. Ferguson introduces a balanced model that blends intellectual and emotional intelligence, essential for today's leaders. The conversation also explores her approach to democratizing leadership, encouraging every team member to embrace their leadership potential, thereby transforming organizational cultures. Dr. Ferguson's insights inspire a rethinking of leadership, highlighting its dynamic nature in our contemporary world.

    Dr. Kirstin Ferguson is one of the world's most recognised leadership experts. The winner of the international Thinkers50 Distinguished Award for Leadership, she is also ranked in the top 50 thinkers in the world. Kirstin researches, writes, speaks and advises major international brands on what it means to be a modern leader, and how to build modern leadership cultures.

    Kirstin’s career includes three decades of senior leadership experience including a previous appointment by the Australian Prime Minister as Acting Chair and Deputy Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Kirstin was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia in 2023 for her significant contributions to business, and gender equality.

    Kirstin has previously been the CEO of a global consulting firm, was a senior executive at a leading corporate law firm and spent nearly 10 years as an Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, including at a fighter jet squadron.

    Kirstin’s second book, Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership, debuted in the top 10 non-fiction bestseller list on release, and was named as one of the top 10 best new management books in the world in 2023. It was also awarded the Royal Society of Awards Career Book Award in 2023.

    Kirstin holds a PhD in leadership and culture as well as Honours degrees in Law, and also History. She is an Adjunct Professor at the QUT Business School and a Sir Winston Churchill Fellow.

    Visit https://www.kirstinferguson.com/meet-kirstin/ for more details.

    • 37 min
    Innovate or Stagnate: Lessons from Steve Blank on Future-Proofing Your Business

    Innovate or Stagnate: Lessons from Steve Blank on Future-Proofing Your Business

    Step into a world where innovation meets execution in the latest episode of Leadership NOW with my guest Steve Blank, the architect behind the Lean Startup revolution. We're dissecting the nuances of what it takes to blend day-to-day operations with the art of innovation, unearthing insights from the startup sphere that big businesses need to hear, and unpacking the transformative role of leadership in an ever-evolving business environment.

    This isn't just a chat; it's an expedition into the heart of entrepreneurial thinking. Tune in for this enriching dialogue and explore more in the accompanying Forbes article, where we delve deeper into the strategies shaping the future of leadership. It's an episode filled with thought-provoking ideas and actionable wisdom you won't want to miss.

    Steve Blank is a founding member at the Gordian Knot Center, an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University, and Senior Fellow for Innovation at Columbia University. Steve consults for the National Security establishment on innovation methods, processes, policies, and doctrine. He created the curriculum for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps. At Stanford he co-created the Department of Defense Hacking for Defense and Department of State Hacking for Diplomacy curriculums.

    Steve arrived in Silicon Valley in 1978, at the very beginning of the startup boom, founded or was part of eight ventures. His book The Four Steps to the Epiphany is credited with launching the Lean Startup movement and which touted the principle that startups must operate differently from big companies to be successful.

    His follow-on book The Startup Owner’s Manual described a process for turning ideas into scale and his Harvard Business Review cover story redefined how large organizations can innovate at speed.

    In sum, Steve has changed how startups are built; how entrepreneurship is taught; how science is commercialized, and how companies and the government innovate. He has been described as the Father of Modern Entrepreneurship.

    Find out more about Steve at www.steveblank.com

    • 41 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
4 Ratings

4 Ratings

DrDave1485 ,

Organizational topics rarely covered elsewhere

Dan does an excellent job of exploring topics important to both employers and employees. The way we work is shifting and I have not found anyone else covering the topics in depth the way Dan does on his podcast.

I have implemented lessons from this podcast into my own career planning and development and encourage my friends and colleagues to listen as well.

Top Podcasts In Business

The Ramsey Show
Ramsey Network
Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin
Money News Network
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
DOAC
NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
NerdWallet Personal Finance
Planet Money
NPR
The Money Mondays
Dan Fleyshman