For almost as long as humans have been using coins and dollars to trade and grow, we've also been using them as weapons. It's almost a magical thing, one thing that can be traded for anything you want. And the people in charge of that currency control the magic. The idea of a common currency is intertwined in just about every facet of our lives, up to the very top on Capitol Hill. It seems natural that someone should be in charge of this huge power. But this is where a cryptocurrency butts in an...
Aug 01, 2023•57 min•Ep. 332
We form teams every day. Boarding a plane, figuring out the best place for overhead bags. On the highway, we form impromptu caravans to squeeze through traffic. There are the more formal teams, too, the ones we occupy at work or at home. We're all teammates. So how can we be better? David Burkus has the answer. The best-selling author of Leading From Anywhere and Friend of a Friend is out with a new book – Best Team Ever, The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams. NASA, Adobe, everyone wan...
Jul 25, 2023•51 min•Ep. 331
Were we born with our instincts, or were they imprinted on us as at an early age? How do turtles know to lay their eggs in the exact spot they themselves were hatched? It's part of a field called evolutionary psychology -- evolving in ways that influence our behaviors as much as whether or not we walk on two legs. Shade Zahrai is a master of unpacking that hindbrain thinking. Shade is a behavioral strategist and leadership coach, and the founder of Influenceo Global Inc, where she works to stren...
Jul 18, 2023•57 min•Ep. 330
We start every episode of this show with those words -- the building block of that growth is you. Today, we want to bring our focus back to that philosophy, that change begins with the individual. Every question for our guests, and every show itself, is structured around that core idea. So we've got a special episode – a roundtable discussion of business leaders from around the world, as well as big fans of the podcast. We want to turn the mic back to the individuals listening to us, to hear how...
Jul 11, 2023•50 min•Ep. 329
A rat learns to cook. A trash compactor learns to love. Two office workers -- who are the monsters under your bed, mind you -- discover a new source of renewable energy. The possibilities at Pixar are infinite. But how do you shoot a movie entirely on computers? And who's going to make the software for all of this? Ed Catmull took on those questions in the early 70s, inventing many of the early computer techniques that got a 3D image on the big screen. With funding from fellow visionary Steve Jo...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 328
If this show was about medicine, we do a lot of classroom learning. But today we're going to hear from the equivalent of a front-line Army medic, hitting the ground to get an idea of how all these theories about leadership actually get used. Sudha Ranganathan is the Director of Product Marketing at LinkedIn. In that role, ecosystems are at the heart of what she does. She creates the conditions that allow these ideas like the s-curve thrive in the ecosystems she builds. From the University of Mum...
Jun 27, 2023•48 min•Ep. 327
When sales are down and overhead costs are skyrocketing, what's the instinct? Cut costs, maybe? Fire some folks? Trim down, get leaner? Zeynep Ton says that instinct is shortsighted. It's outdated. More than just old, it's a deadly cycle, because cutting costs continues to come at the expense of the foundational unit – the employee. Zeynep is a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Business, and her new book – The Case for Good Jobs – is out next month. By turning almost 40 years of Jack Welch-ian ...
Jun 20, 2023•43 min•Ep. 326
Representation is the basis of our political system. We can't get everyone's vote on every issue – folks are busy, and that would take way too much time. So we pick someone we trust. Have you ever represented someone else? It's terrifying. You have to make decisions on behalf of all those people, and those decisions could impact their home, their business, their politics, their whole way of life. But in that way, representation can be one of the highest callings a human can achieve. Our guest to...
Jun 13, 2023•51 min•Ep. 325
What does it mean to be the only one in the room who knows something is wrong? You're the only one in your company who sees the number they missed. What do you do? Do you speak up? Try this on -- is anything really that bad going to happen if you keep it to yourself? All those little decisions, to sit on some information, or fudge a number, they add up to the tune of about one trillion dollars of fraud a year. Kelly Richmond Pope is a forensic accountant, a professor at DePaul University and an ...
Jun 06, 2023•51 min•Ep. 324
It's said that cliches become cliches for a reason. There's at least a bit of truth to them. So try this one on - you are your own worst enemy. There's a reason it gets repeated. Everyone finds a moment where you just can't get out of your own way, no matter how good your intentions are and how strong your will is. So how does the founder and CEO of Positive Intelligence fight back against his own saboteurs? Shirzad Chamine is the mind behind democratizing Positive Intelligence, sometimes abbrev...
May 30, 2023•47 min
Have you ever had trouble saying something simple, like "no?" No, I can't do that. What about all the times you might have said yes, when in your heart all you wanted to say was, no? Vanessa Patrick is an award-winning consumer psychologist, she's currently the associate dean at the Bauer School of Business, and now she's out with her new book, "The Power of Saying No." Have you ever said no, and it felt like you discovered a superpower you didn't know you even had? You have to learn how to say ...
May 23, 2023•45 min•Ep. 322
The temptation to compromise on our values is always there. Compromising could make things easier for us. Not only can it get you out of a hole, compromising could even make the number on your paycheck bigger. Sometimes we have to. Sometimes those expectations were ridiculous to begin with. But when it comes to compromising on the core of who we are, why would you ever meet yourself in the middle? Magdalena Mook, CEO and executive director of the International Coaching Federation, joins us this ...
May 16, 2023•50 min•Ep. 321
You know that little bright red wagon, with the long front handle? Maybe, you might have even sat in one, careening down a hill. The wagon, and the company that makes them, is called Radio Flyer. Over a hundred years since that first stamped metal wagon, that same company now makes a Radio Flyer Tesla S for Kids, in that same bright red. Right next to the classic wagon on their website, you can now buy Radio Flyer e-bikes, Radio Flyer go-karts, even a Radio Flyer trampoline. Behind the company's...
May 09, 2023•37 min•Ep. 320
Joining us this week is Executive Advisor and Diversity Strategist Stacey Gordon. Stacey is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Rework Work, and author of UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work.
May 02, 2023•43 min•Ep. 319
Tom Peters has walked many, many paths in life, more than many of us can claim. He's been a Navy Seabee overseas in Vietnam, a White House advisor, a McKinsey consultant, even a PBS show host. You might know him as the author of the 80s management bestseller, "In Search of Excellence." Recently, Tom had the idea to start up a podcast of his own, and asked our host Whitney to be his first guest. Tom even had a name for the podcast ready: "Extreme Humanism," after another of his books. The two fri...
Apr 25, 2023•42 min
Mental health has never been more top-of-mind than in recent years, and Emma McAdam has built an extraordinary therapeutic resource in an unlikely place: YouTube. Emma is a licensed marriage and family therapist best known for her incredibly popular "Therapy in a Nutshell" videos that demystify things like anxiety, depression, and emotional regulation. This candid conversation will completely change your perspective on stress, happiness, and why our brains perceive stuff like email as a constant...
Apr 18, 2023•54 min
We tend to associate the word surrender with quitting or giving up. Something less than honorable. In his book, The Magic of Surrender: Finding the Courage to Let Go , transformational teacher and bestselling author Kute Blackson endeavors to change how we view the word. Kute joins us this week to discuss how the book came about and what exactly should we be surrendering to.
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 315
Leaping to a new S-Curve of learning can be an overwhelming experience. As we transition from being at the top of our field into a new and less experienced trajectory, our emotions and anxieties can get the best of us. Our guest this week believes science, specifically the discipline of rocket science, can help us better navigate personal and professional disruption. Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned award-winning law professor and bestselling author. A renowned professor, author, and spea...
Apr 04, 2023•48 min
Anxiety isn't bad….it's just data. For some it can even serve as a catalyst, driving them to achieve. Morra Aarons-Mele is the founder of the communications firm Women Online, and hosts the award-winning Anxious Achiever podcast for LinkedIn Presents. Her book, The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears into Your Leadership Superpower , is out next month. Morra would like to put an end to the demonizing of anxiety, and her argument is pretty compelling....
Mar 28, 2023•38 min•Ep. 314
This week we're chatting with Tony O'Driscoll, professor at Duke University's School of Business. Tony is co-author of the graphic novel, Everyday Superhero: How You Can Inspire Everyone And Create Real Change at Work.
Mar 21, 2023•47 min•Ep. 313
Tim Harrison knows a thing or two about growth. At a young age, doctors said Tim would be physically behind all his peers. He outgrew every single one. During his time playing basketball in college, Tim faced significant on and off court challenges, propelling him to…grow. Today, Tim strives to instill that same growth mentality into underserved high school students via his non-profit organization, EPOG Academy.
Mar 14, 2023•41 min•Ep. 312
Mauro Porcini was the first Chief Design Officer at both 3M and PepsiCo. He's also author of the book, The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People On this week's show, Mauro shares with us his insights on how we can identify and deal with hidden rejection, as well as how companies can cultivate a Unicorn Culture.
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 311
Stewardship. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Servant leadership. Not the first things that come to mind when thinking about leadership in the corporate world, but our guest today sees these as indispensable core values that served as guides throughout her career. Angela Ahrendts is the former C.E.O. of Burberry, former head of retail at Apple, and is currently chairwoman of the board at Save the Children.
Feb 28, 2023•42 min•Ep. 310
Joining us this week is Tina Opie, author of "Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at Work". My conversation with Tina was a tough one, but I hope it's just as meaningful for you as it was for me.
Feb 21, 2023•50 min•Ep. 309
Victor Frankl once said, "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In that response lies our growth and freedom". Our guest this week seeks to help us optimize that space. Carol Kauffman, founder of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School , and co-author of the soon to be released Real-Time Leadership: Find Your Winning Moves When the Stakes Are High , joins us to talk about the new book, her super power, and so much more!...
Feb 14, 2023•38 min•Ep. 308
Andre Menezes is the CEO of Next Gen Foods. On this week's episode, Andre will share insights from his journey of becoming a visionary in the world of sustainable food production. We'll also learn how Andre developed a broader perspective about the world and how he learned at an early age to be the protagonist of his story and not succumb to the victim mentality. In Andre's words, "There's no way to solve death. For all the other things in life, there's something we can do about it."...
Feb 07, 2023•45 min•Ep. 307
What is special about you and what you know how to do, and how do you scale yourself ? How do you make sure you spend most of your time doing that thing? Jennifer Smith, C.E.O. and co-founder of Scribe joins Whitney to discuss this and so much more.
Jan 31, 2023•44 min•Ep. 306
Happiness...at work. A novel concept? An oxymoron? Far from it. Jon Clifton is the CEO of Gallup, and author of Blind Spot: The Global Rise of Unhappiness and How Leaders Missed It. Jon joins Whitney this week to discuss how happiness in the workplace is not elusive as some may think.
Jan 24, 2023•39 min•Ep. 305
Joining Whitney this week is Mbali Maseko, Head of Well Being at Sasol South Africa, a global chemical and energy company. Mbali has a Masters in Public Health, a Masters in Business Administration and an Honors degree in Dietetics, attained through grit, hard work, and the support and sacrifice of her family.
Jan 17, 2023•43 min•Ep. 304
This week Whitney shares a portion of one of her recent LinkedIn Live sessions. Joining Whitney this week is NY Times best-selling author, Seth Godin – his most famous books being This is Marketing and Linchpin. In this episode, Whitney and Seth talk about one of his latest projects, The Carbon Almanac, the idea of imposter syndrome, and of course, marketing.
Jan 10, 2023•32 min•Ep. 303
