The Leadership Podcast

Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, experts on leadership development
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We interview great leaders, review the books they read, and speak with highly influential authors who study them.

  1. 1D AGO

    What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It's Not What You Think

    What happens when you spend 10 years interviewing some of the world's top leaders? After 500 interviews with CEOs, generals, founders, bestselling authors, athletes, and elite performers, Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford discovered a surprising pattern. The most successful leaders were NOT the most polished, they were the most self-aware, adaptable, and relentlessly committed to growth. In this special milestone episode of The Leadership Podcast, Jim and Jan pull back the curtain on a decade of conversations with world-class leaders and reveal the biggest lessons, myths, failures, sacrifices, and leadership truths that emerged across 500 episodes. Topics discussed The leadership myth they are glad to have challenged Why great leaders rarely have a "perfect" career path The dangerous difference between style and substance The hidden sacrifices behind elite success Why adaptability matters more than efficiency Guests who completely changed their thinking How leadership has evolved in the age of AI Why "leaders are learners" became one of the defining themes of the show The one leadership question they still haven't fully answered after 500 episodes This is more than a reflection on podcasting, it's a masterclass built from 10 years of conversations with some of the world's most accomplished leaders. Whether you lead a company, a team, a family, or simply yourself, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, influence, success, and leadership. Watch this Episode on YouTube | Jim and Jan on What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It's Not What You Think Find episode 511 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Moments [00:00] The brutal truth 500 leaders revealed [05:11] Did they ever think they'd reach 500 episodes? [10:10] Guests who left them speechless [13:58] Conversations that changed their minds [18:05] The biggest leadership myth they busted [23:10] When the podcast became more than interviews [32:32] How the podcast changed them as leaders [35:25] The 5 episodes every leader should hear [41:23] The leadership question they still can't answer Memorable Quotes "You can't hit the ball if you don't go to the plate." "The market will tell you what it values and it isn't always what it should." "Adaptability must accompany efficiency, or you will not survive." "Behind every great leader is a great support system." "Sell the problem, not the solution." "If you want to be great at something, you are going to have to make sacrifices. There is no hack. There is no shortcut." "You don't get any dumber talking to smart people." "Leadership is not a destination. It is a state you have to manage and it never ends." "Don't judge a book by its cover. Hold your assumptions lightly." "Self-reliant leaders, at the end of the day, make others better." "Be interested. Care about people. Be nice. You can have a huge influence on other people's lives and it really is that simple." 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 Jan Rutherford LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/janrutherford Jan Rutherford X | @JanRutherford Jim Vaselopulos LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/jimvaselopulos Jim Vaselopulos X | @jim_va

    48 min

  2. MAY 6

    Why Your Organization Keeps Getting the Same Results (No Matter What You Change)

    Maria Brinck is the Founder & President of Zynergy International and author of "The Leadership We Need: A New Mindset for a Brighter Future." In this episode, Maria argues that the leadership crisis most organizations face isn't a skills gap — it's a flawed model. The qualities we've long rewarded in leaders — confidence, decisiveness, and control — were effective in a different era. But in today's environment, those same traits can actually become liabilities. She challenges leaders to examine what they have never been asked to question: the unconscious bias shaping who gets selected, who gets developed, and whose voice gets heard. She also makes the case that the most important thing a leader can unlearn is the need to have all the answers, because that single habit is what keeps collaboration from ever becoming real. If you have ever wondered why your organization keeps producing the same results no matter how much it changes, this episode is worth your time. Find episode 510 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Maria Brinck on Why Your Organization Keeps Getting the Same Results (No Matter What You Change) https://bit.ly/TLP-510 Key Takeaways [03:36] Maria says the fastest path from command-and-control to collaboration is genuinely knowing your people's strengths and values. [05:54] Maria draws a line between happiness and meaning. [09:24] Maria describes leaving a pharmaceutical career where she was in the top 2% nationally. The titles and money were real. The meaning was not. [12:06] Maria names the blind spot most leaders never examine. A deeply ingrained bias toward traits that once protected a tribe but now limit an organization. [14:31] Maria says our bias toward alpha, hyper-masculine leaders isn't a choice — it's an evolutionary hangover that no longer serves us. [18:09] Maria connects human leadership patterns to what she observed in Cameroon. The species that chose collaboration survived peacefully. The one that chose dominance did not. [23:07] Maria names the one thing most leaders need to unlearn. [25:21] Maria introduces the open 360. It measures behaviors like trust and psychological safety over time and ties them directly to performance reviews. [30:29] Maria on the internal voice that signals something needs to change. Everyone has it. Most people have been trained to ignore it. [33:33] Maria offers one starting question for anyone who wants to create rather than find their purpose. When do you feel most alive? [36:07] And remember... "Our problems are mainly a consequence of a lack of holistic understanding of the man-made system in which we are entwined." — Helena Norberg-Hodge Quotable Quotes "Purpose doesn't show up under a rock that someone else put there. You have to create it." "No one is as smart as all of us." "We want one thing, and we need a very different thing. We need to evolve." "Creating purpose now empowers you. You empower your inner author." "Finding purpose versus creating purpose. That is the difference." "In nature, no one exists alone." "Our poly crisis reality is a direct consequence of the monopoly we have seen in leadership." 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 Maria Brinck Website | www.mariabrinck.com Maria Brinck LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/mariabrinck Maria Brinck Medium article Aug 21st, 2025 | https://medium.com/authority-magazine/the-new-portrait-of-leadership-maria-brinck-of-zynergy-international-on-which-legacy-ideas-about-bca18c3bea89 Maria Brinck Forbes article Oct 23rd, 2025 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/nelldebevoise/2025/10/23/the-leadership-we-need-why-knowing-all-the-answers-is-costing-us-88-trillion/

    37 min

  3. APR 29

    Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos

    Dr. Bill Kline is a professor of business ethics and the Executive Director of the Academy on Capitalism. He argues that capitalism and ethics aren't separate conversations. They're the same system. Without ethics, there are no property rights, no enforceable contracts, and no functioning markets. Strip that away and you don't get capitalism. You get chaos with a price tag. In this conversation, Bill discusses the difference between socialism's ideals and capitalism's outcomes. He also breaks down what leaders must do to rebuild trust with younger workers, and why one simple question keeps getting ignored: Do we actually understand what capitalism is? If your organization is struggling to articulate why business and markets matter or you're watching younger talent disengage from the mission, this episode gives you a clearer way to think about what's really at stake. Find episode 509 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Dr. Bill Kline on Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos https://bit.ly/TLP-509 Key Takeaways [01:59] Bill shares he studied Austrian economics at Grove City, speaks Hungarian, and plays Bob Dylan at open mic nights. [02:04] Bill explains the Academy on Capitalism exists because universities are hostile to capitalism and students are paying the price. [04:59] Bill traces anti-capitalism sentiment in universities back decades, but argues the tone became more politically aggressive around the early 2000s. [07:32] Bill argues capitalism cannot exist without ethics, property rights and enforceable contracts are not optional, they are the foundation. [09:03] Bill reveals how his thinking shifted: he now decouples free market conversations from welfare state debates entirely to open more ears. [12:40] Bill explains why people always compare socialism's ideals to capitalism's realities. We know every flaw of the system we live in, and none of the others. [18:51] Bill says leaders cannot badmouth capitalism and expect anyone to believe in it. Optimism about markets is a leadership responsibility. [20:53] Bill pushes back on the single-answer approach to propose different companies, different missions, and markets thrive on that multiplicity. [23:54] Bill describes the campus atmosphere where faculty whisper support for capitalism and why ideological stridency creates intellectual silence. [27:23] Bill outlines what's lost when students comply instead of engaging in anger, cynicism, and eroding respect for the institutions that protect freedom. [30:12] Bill asks the one question leaders avoid — do we actually know what capitalism is — and argues humility is the starting point for any honest conversation. [32:03] And remember…"I was guilty of judging capitalism by its operations and socialism by its hopes and aspirations, capitalism by its works and socialism by its literature." Sydney Hook Quotable Quotes "Capitalism does not exist without ethics." "You can't badmouth the system and then expect anybody else to like it." "It's not just to have and be a person of integrity — it's to explain why, so that people can see it." "Have fun with ideas — because as soon as you stop having fun with them, everything gets grumpy and awful." "To have markets, period, you have to have ethics." "If you want a better company culture, if you want people who work towards productivity, then some kind of positive stance towards capitalism is incumbent on leaders." "Maybe we should learn more about what this thing really is — rather than just assuming from the get-go and now it's just proving we're right about it." "The people who don't agree stay out — so you end up with an echo chamber, and that tends to become a very stable equilibrium." "Simply because you don't agree with my economic system doesn't say anything about me as a person." Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Dr. Bill Kline Website | www.academyoncapitalism.org Dr. Bill Kline YouTube | www.youtube.com/@TheAcademyonCapitalismTV Dr. Bill Kline LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/williamekline

    34 min

  4. APR 22

    Your Scars Are Your Resume

    Matt Cavanaugh is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, PhD, former Army Athlete of the Year, and author of "Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before." Leaders often treat failures, setbacks, and scars as liabilities to hide. Matt Cavanaugh argues the opposite — that the scars you've earned, physical and emotional are the most honest measure of growth you have. The question isn't how to avoid them. It's how to use them. In this conversation, Matt reframes what a scar really is: not a mark of defeat, but evidence of where you've grown. He explains why the outcomes of any serious effort are never just win or lose — they're win, learn, or die — and why leaders who avoid failure miss the chance to build real judgment. He also makes the case that the strongest motivation isn't personal ambition, but a mission that serves something bigger than yourself. For any leader who's been knocked flat by a failed plan, a difficult season, or a decision they regret — this episode reframes what those moments are actually worth. Find episode 508 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Matt Cavanaugh on Your Scars Are Your Resume https://bit.ly/TLP-508 Key Takeaways [04:37] Matt describes a scar as proof you've healed and grown. He sees scars as what connect us. It's the one thing every human shares. [10:24] Matt explains that urgency comes from scale and proximity. When the threat is close, you act right away. He learned this in the Namib Desert with a pack much heavier than the others. [14:58] Matt says leaders need skin in the game. You need one signal you can actually feel. Start by observing and understanding before you act. [16:47] Matt breaks it into two modes. The war of the knife and the war of the map. One is emotional. The other is strategic. Good leaders know when to step back. [22:07] Matt reframes kidney donation as something gained. Not something lost. He found purpose in it. And the real gift was being useful to someone else. [29:11] Matt believes endurance matters more than courage. Courage is short. Endurance stays. Most missions are lost first in the leader's mind. [32:41] Matt shares that kidney donors often show higher empathy. But endurance is something anyone can build. Leaders can grow their capacity over time. [34:41] Matt talks about the pushback at home. His wife was against the decision. He weighed the risks and trained hard. Walking away was not an option for him. [39:18] Matt says find a real mission with real stakes. Do it with others and for others. That's how you create scars that matter. [41:01] And remember..."Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." - Mario Andretti Quotable Quotes "A scar is the spot where you've grown more than others." "It's not win, lose, or draw. It's win, learn, or die." "There's nothing you can't do if you're doing it with and for others." "More often than not, holding on a little bit longer turns out right." "Make good scars. You'll never regret it. The rest is just Netflix on Tuesday." "Urgency lives at the intersection of scale and proximity of threat." "When danger is close, you act in the moment." "Courage is momentary. Endurance is what carries you." 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 Matt Cavanaugh Website | mlcavanaugh.com Matt Cavanaugh X | @cavanaughforco Matt Cavanaugh Facebook | www.facebook.com/mlcavanaugh1 Matt Cavanaugh Instagram | @cavanaughforco

    42 min

  5. APR 15

    Disrupt or Be Buried: The Mindset That Changes Everything

    Patrick Leddin is an army veteran, entrepreneur, and NYT and WSJ Bestselling Author. He is the co-author, with James Patterson, of "Disrupt Everything—and Win: Take Control of Your Future." Most leaders treat disruption as something to survive. Patrick argues that's exactly the wrong frame. The gap between leaders who thrive in uncertainty and those who get buried by it isn't talent or timing — it's mindset. And that can be learned. In this conversation, Patrick explains why disruption doesn't always mean blowing things up. Sometimes it means doubling down when everyone else pivots. He breaks down the five roles people play in change and shares a practical way to assess the odds before you commit. For any leader feeling overwhelmed by the pace of change, this episode offers a more honest and more useful way to think about what's actually in front of you. Find episode 507 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Patrick Leddin on Disrupt or Be Buried: The Mindset That Changes Everything https://bit.ly/TLP-507 Key Takeaways [02:08] Patrick reveals he failed out of junior college before the Army changed everything. [03:50] Patrick explains how a COVID-era Vanderbilt crisis leadership course — and a guest lecture from James Patterson — planted the seed for the book. [08:06] Patrick reframes disruption as opportunity, not threat — and why hitting pause before reacting is the move most leaders skip. [12:50] Patrick shares the KPMG story where saying "just get me to lunch" turned into a $12 million project. [15:29] Jan asks Patrick which of the book's five roles he was playing in that moment — Trailblazer, then Torchbearer as the team grew. [16:35] Jim asks Patrick how timing plays a role in disruption and whether being too early kills commercial success. [19:31] Patrick walks through the back-of-envelope math he used with Vanderbilt's Chancellor to turn a 15% shot at co-authoring with Patterson into a 50% one. [25:08] Patrick outlines how to tell the difference between fear that signals danger and discomfort that signals growth. [28:51] Patrick confirms that everyone is wired for disruption — and offers the single smallest first step to prove it. [34:14] Patrick challenges every listener to identify one relationship that's gone sideways and disrupt it — for good. [36:08] And remember…"The reason why it is so difficult for existing firms to capitalize on disruptive innovations is that their processes and their business model that make them good at the existing business actually make them bad at competing for disruption." - Clayton M. Christensen Quotable Quotes "A disruption is anything that causes you to pause and consider — knocks you out of your normal routine." "Sometimes you disrupt something by choosing to double down on what you're already committed to — even when everyone else says go the other way." "We say disrupt everything. We don't say change everything." "Anybody who tells you they know where AI is going to be next year is either lying or just foolish." "The status quo is deceptive. Things aren't going to stay that way. But that's okay — because you're wired to handle it." "Sometimes you gotta bet on yourself. Sometimes you gotta step back and do some math." "You won't make any shots you don't take." "Don't wait until after the meeting to tell your friend the vibe is wrong. Say it in the room." "We live in a sea of relationships — and relationships shouldn't just be transactional." 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 Leddin Website | patrickleddin.com Patrick Leddin Podcast | patrickleddin.com/podcast Patrick Leddin LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/patrickleddin Patrick Leddin Instagram | @patrickleddin

    37 min

  6. APR 8

    Retention Is Dead: The Workquake Reshaping Talent

    Steve Cadigan is a global talent strategist, author of "Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of COVID-19 to Create a Better Model of Working," and LinkedIn's founding Chief HR Officer. Steve believes the world of work is going through a "workquake" — a fundamental shift that's breaking the old employer-employee contract. At the core of it is a false premise: the idea of long-term loyalty that neither side can reliably keep. In this conversation, Steve explains why many of the world's most successful companies have surprisingly short employee tenure, why the workforce isn't disloyal but loyal to growth, and why leaders should focus less on retention and more on creating meaningful development while people are with them. For leaders navigating turnover and rapid change, this episode offers a more honest way to think about talent and what it actually takes to build teams that perform. Find episode 506 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Steve Cadigan on Retention Is Dead: The Workquake Reshaping Talent https://bit.ly/TLP-506 Key Takeaways [03:40] Steve defines a workquake as any shift so fundamental it renders the existing architecture of work obsolete. [04:46] Steve argues that most employer-employee relationships begin on a false premise — and that dishonesty is where the breakdown starts. [06:42] Steve reframes retention: instead of demanding loyalty, commit to making the employee's time with you the most growth-oriented chapter of their career. [09:12] Steve uses Chick-fil-A as a model for honest talent strategy — celebrating alumni, not just retaining them. [17:42] Steve explains how LinkedIn turned its recruiting struggle into a competitive advantage by aligning the employee experience with the product promise. [26:26] Steve warns that over-indexing on experience and ignoring transferable talent is one of the most costly mistakes leaders make today. [30:36] Steve makes the case that learning must be designed into work itself — not treated as a perk or a line item that gets cut first. [33:53] Steve challenges leaders to ask honestly which companies today are actually building for 100 years — and why so few are. [38:14] Steve argues that AI is being misused as a cost-cutting tool when its real power is making people more capable, not replacing them. [41:13] Steve leaves leaders with one directive: stop waiting for a benchmark that doesn't exist — and be willing to become one. [42:58] And remember..."Nonetheless, the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." - Vince Lombardi. Quotable Quotes "If you want people here because they want to be here, you're running a company. If you don't, you're running a prison." "The workforce is incredibly loyal — just not to you. They're loyal to growth." "If your talent strategy is not changing as fast as the outside world, your employee relationship is near its end." "If the outside world is changing faster than the inside, the end is near." "You can't have a job today that takes someone five years to figure out." "We have so over-indexed on experience and so overlooked talent." "There is no benchmarking for this moment — you're going to have to be the benchmark." "People want to be on teams that are going somewhere." 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 Steve Cadigan X | @SteveCadigan Steve Cadigan Facebook | www.facebook.com/thestevecadigan Steve Cadigan LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/cadigan Steve Cadigan Instagram | @stevecad

    44 min

  7. APR 1

    Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails

    Will Linssen is the CEO of Global Coach Group, and the author of "Triple Win Leadership Coaching: The Coach's Guide to More Impact, More Coaching, and More Clients." In this conversation, Will challenges the traditional model of leadership coaching. Too often, coaching focuses on the leader while leaving the team out of the equation—one reason why team satisfaction frequently remains low even when leaders feel they've made progress. Will explains how great coaches assess coachability before the work even begins, why ego is often the biggest barrier to meaningful change, and what leaders in global, multicultural environments consistently misunderstand about communication and feedback. We also explore the impact of AI on leadership. Will argues that decades of accumulated expertise are losing their advantage. The leaders who will thrive going forward aren't the ones with all the answers—they're the ones who know how to ask the right questions. If you've ever wondered why leadership development often fails to stick inside organizations, this conversation offers a candid look at what's missing—and what needs to change. Find episode 505 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Will Linssen on Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails https://bit.ly/TLP-505 Key Takeaways [03:26] Will reveals why traditional coaching fails: coworkers are left out, so their satisfaction with the leader's growth drops to as low as 18%. [05:23] Will reframes leadership development from "project me" to "project we" — and why that single shift drives real momentum. [10:30] Will explains how quarterly co-worker feedback keeps both the leader and the team mutually accountable for results. [12:01] Will names the two biggest predictors that a leader won't change: ego and job insecurity. [17:03] Will shares what 100,000+ leaders across six continents have in common — and where culture changes the game. [21:37] Will makes the case for leading with questions in high-hierarchy cultures as the fastest way to unlock smart, silent people. [26:20] Will reveals the belief about leadership he changed his mind about most after 30 years: outside-in behavioral change beats inside-out every time. [28:13] Will walks through the Triple Win business case that connects leader behavior to team behavior to measurable numbers. [35:50] Will warns that AI is depreciating your leadership experience premium fast — and what that means for your role. [39:16] Will's single action item for every leader in 2026: ask your team what advice they have for you, pick one thing, and go. [40:29] And remember..."A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." - Jackie Robinson Quotable Quotes "Leadership is not about the leader. It's about the people the leader is leading." "You need to change the leader's system, not just the leader." "The more you make leadership about "we" and the less you make it about "me" — realizing that "we" includes "me" — the more it makes total sense." "Leadership is co-creating change with coworkers." "Ego is total poison for coaching." "If adults don't want to change, they will not change." "We're not perfect people every day, but we can commit to being better every day." "We don't focus on those who need our help the most. We focus on those who want our help the most." "Don't ask closed questions. Ask the how question — that's where execution breaks down." "The moment you start making leadership about yourself, you're already making the first misstep." "Leaders only change when the new outcome is important enough to them." "As human beings, we have more in common than our passports divide us." "Smart people with AI can out-leader you very quickly. Be ready for that." "The leader is like a symphony orchestra conductor — the one who makes everything work together without playing an instrument." 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 Will Linssen | www.facebook.com/coachlinssen Will Linsse LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/wlinssen Global Coach Group Website | globalcoachgroup.com

    41 min

  8. MAR 25

    Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged

    Mark Crowley's newest book is The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams. For more than a decade, organizations have chased employee engagement - through surveys, gamification, perks, and wellness apps - yet the results haven't improved. Gallup now reports engagement at a ten-year low. Mark was one of the early voices questioning the engagement movement, and in this conversation he explains why the model itself is flawed. We talk about what leaders have been measuring incorrectly, what employee well-being actually means, and why the strongest predictor of team performance isn't compensation, perks, or pressure to produce. It's belonging. If you're seeing burnout, quiet disengagement, or people simply going through the motions, this conversation offers a different lens on leadership—and practical insights you can start applying immediately. Find episode 504 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Mark Crowley on Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged https://bit.ly/TLP-504 Key Takeaways [03:04] Mark explains why employee engagement flatlined. [08:09] Mark draws the line: personal well-being is on you, but how your people perform at work is almost entirely on the leader. [12:08] Mark defines employee well-being, and why wellness apps and free yoga are just band-aids. [15:26] Mark reveals the number one driver of well-being: belonging. [18:36] Mark on hybrid work: packed Zoom calendars are theater. Judge people on outcomes, not optics. [24:22] Mark pushes back on the work ethic debate, and calls out companies playing both sides of the hybrid fence. [32:59] Mark shares the story of his top performer who turned down bigger offers — for one reason her boss never expected. [38:16] Mark's fix for micromanagement: weekly individual check-ins that solve problems before they spiral. [41:30] Mark's closing insight: 95% of human behavior is driven by emotion. Stop asking what people think — ask how they feel. [43:13] And remember..."Well-being is attained little by little, and nevertheless is no little thing itself." - Citium Zeno Quotable Quotes "Once people negotiate their compensation, pay stops being a day-to-day motivator. You've got to figure out the other four drivers." "Wellness is not well-being. A free yoga class is a band-aid." "The number one driver of well-being is belonging — and most leaders never thought that was their job." "If people are feeling supported, trusted, growing, and appreciated — they will naturally reciprocate and produce at levels most leaders have never seen." "We've been misaligned to human nature. That's why engagement never worked." "Nobody can thrive without connection. The highest performing teams are the ones where everybody has each other's back." "The tighter people are, the more people feel like they can be who they are — that's the greatest driver of well-being." "Ask people how they feel — not what they think. That's where the real answer is." "Up to 95% of human behavior is driven by feelings and emotions. That's not soft, that's science." "People pour their heart into surveys and nothing ever gets done." "HR should be the advocates for people — not the C-suite's executioner." 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 Mark Crowley Website | markccrowley.com Mark Crowley Podcast | markccrowley.com/podcasts Mark Crowley X | @MarkCCrowley Lead From The Heart Facebook Page | facebook.com/LeadFromTheHeart Mark Crowley LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/markccrowley

    44 min
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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
    521
  • 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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