Partnering Leadership

Mahan Tavakoli•www.partneringleadership.com

Partnering Leadership is a top global podcast designed to help CEOs and senior leaders navigate the complexities of leadership, strategy, culture, and innovation. Hosted by Mahan Tavakoli—a seasoned leadership advisor with over 25 years of experience and recognized as a top thought leader in management—the podcast brings you real-world insights and practical advice to drive meaningful results.

Mahan’s experience as a trusted advisor shapes each discussion, driving deeper insights that challenge conventional thinking and uncover innovative approaches. Drawing from his extensive advisory background, Mahan dives into candid conversations with purpose-driven CEOs and global thought leaders, exploring how they overcame their biggest challenges and achieved transformative success. Each episode provides actionable strategies, real-world examples, and proven approaches to help you navigate change, align teams, and drive lasting impact.

Hear directly from top experts such as Ram Charan, Ken Blanchard, John Kotter, Stephen M.R. Covey, Hal Elrod, Carmine Gallo, Daniel Burrus, Garry Ridge, Jacob Morgan, Emily Field, Jonah Berger, Barbara Kellerman, Rich Diviney, Andrea Sampson, Ajay Agrawal, Dave Ulrich, Jerry Colonna, Renee Cummings, Brian Johnson, Warren Berger, Gustavo Razzetti, Azeem Azhar, David McRaney, Tim Clark, Jim Detert, Gary Bolles, Greg Satell, Robert Wolcott, Alden Mills, Minter Dial, Greg Wooldridge, Pete Steinberg, Joseph Fuller, Paul Roetzer, Whitney Johnson, Ron Adner, Bob Johansen, Leidy Klotz, Paul Smith, Louis Rosenberg, Rob Sadow, Dan Turchin, Steve Robinson, Park Howell, Mark Crowley, Maz Jobrani, LaTonya Wilkins, Rob Cross, Aiden McCullen, Eduardo Briceno, Jan Rutherford, Stephen Wunker, Charlene Li, Jon Levy, Anu Gupta, John Rossman, David Marquet, Tamsen Webster, Jack Phillips, Vanessa Bohns, Patrick McGinnis, Hakeem Oluseyi, Ed Hess, and Carolyn Dewar as well as renowned leaders like David Rubenstein, Jean Case, Tony Pierce, Linda Rabbitt, Paul Daugherty, Richard Bynum, John Veihmeyer, Howard Ross, Bill Novelli, Tien Wong, Stephanie Linnartz, Chuck Robb, Doug Dennerline, Charlene Drew Jarvis, Robert Rosenberg, Diane Hoskins, Deidre Paknad, David Gardner, and Marty Rodgers, and many more!

Their insights, paired with Mahan's expertise, equip you to tackle complex challenges, foster a high-performance culture, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.

Listen today to gain the tools, perspectives, and proven strategies that can transform your leadership journey.

Available on all major podcast platforms or visit https://partneringleadership.com.

Last refreshed: July 2nd, 2025 at 1:37 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

155 Lead with Kindness, the most powerful, least costly and most underrated agent of human change | Mahan Tavakoli Partnering Leadership Insight

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli shares his perspectives and research about the need for kindness and how it can impact teams and organizations. Mahan also highlighted effective ways of showing kindness while initiating a ripple effect in our organizations and the community. Some highlights: -Pre and post-pandemic effects on kindness -How showing kindness can be contagious -Two specific ways of being kinder to those around us -Starting a kindness ripple Mentioned: - Chris...

May 03, 2022•8 min

154 Building a Thriving Organization by Helping Clients Implement OKRs, Achieve Better Alignment and Strategy Execution with Workboard CEO Deidre Paknad | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Deidre Paknad, co-founder and CEO of WorkBoard and founder of Results Foundry. Deidre Paknad shared her journey leading to her success as the founder of three start-ups. Deidre also talked about her founding of Workboard and how the organization supports its clients to execute their strategy faster by effective implementation of OKRs. Deidre Paknad also shared her thoughts on the future of work and what organizations can do to ...

Apr 28, 2022•53 min

153 Leading Economic Development to Provide Greater Opportunities to Underserved Entrepreneurs with Washington Area Community Investment Fund CEO Harold Pettigrew | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Harold Pettigrew, CEO at Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif), Presidential Appointee at the CDFI Fund, and an Aspen Finance Fellow. First, Harold Pettigrew talked about his upbringing in Washington D.C. and the experiences that helped him find his voice. Harold also shared his experience serving in city government in New York and D.C. and how he plans to make a difference through his leadership of the Washington A...

Apr 26, 2022•41 min

152 Leading Change From The Inside Out So People Want to Follow You with Erika Andersen | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Erika Andersen. Erika is the founding partner of Proteus International, which is a coaching consulting and training firm that focuses on leader readiness. She and her colleagues at Proteus focus on helping leaders prepare and stay prepared to face whatever the future might bring. Driven by this mission, Erika shares in the conversation how leaders can approach challenges and uncertainty by applying the change-capable mindset. E...

Apr 21, 2022•41 min

151 Leading with Grit, Clarity and Empathy with Marriott International President Stephanie Linnartz | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Stephanie Linnartz, President of Marriott International, Inc., the world's largest hospitality company. Stephanie Linnartz shares the role her upbringing played in her seeking a career at Marriott and how she rose through the ranks in the organization. Stephanie also shares the devastating impact of the pandemic alongside losing the organization's beloved CEO, Arne Sorenson, and how the leadership team was able to stay focused ...

Apr 19, 2022•49 min

150 How to turn Your Organizational Culture Into a Competitive Advantage with Harvard Business School Professor James Heskett | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Professor James Heskett. Professor Heskett is UPS Foundation Professor Emeritus at the Harvard Business School. James Heskett has authored/co-authored nine books, including one with fellow Harvard Business School Professor John Kotter on Corporate Culture and Performance. In this conversation, Mahan and James Heskett talk about Professor Heskett's latest book, Win from Within: Build Organizational Culture for Competitive Advant...

Apr 14, 2022•53 min

149 Purpose-Driven Leadership: Putting People and Place Over Profits with Flock DC CEO Lisa Wise | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Lisa Wise, Chief Rooster, Chief Nester and Owner of Nest DC. Lisa Wise shares the origin story behind founding the company and how they bake purpose into everything they do. Lisa Wise also talks about her commitment to the community and how she was able to keep focused on purpose through the pandemic. Finally, Lisa Wise talks about her commitment to serving employees and other stakeholders. Some highlights: - How challenges gro...

Apr 12, 2022•47 min

148 How to Lead Organizational Transformation through Intent Based Leadership and the Power of Leadership Language with Former Nuclear Submarine Commander David Marquet | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David Marquet. David served as the commander of the US Navy nuclear submarine, USS Santa Fe. When he took over, he changed the command-and-control leadership style and empowered his crew to turn the lowest-performing sub into the best performer in the fleet. David Marquet shared leadership lessons from this experience, which he also wrote in his bestselling book Turn the Ship Around! A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leade...

Apr 07, 2022•32 min

147 Three Steps to Help You Stop the Uncontrolled Proliferation of Meetings and Make Sure Your Meetings are Productive | Mahan Tavakoli Partnering Leadership Insight

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli shares why professionals are spending more time in meetings than ever before and what leaders of organizations and teams can do to combat overscheduling of meetings and meeting overwhelm. Mahan goes through a three-step process that can get you started to a more manageable number of meetings and more productive collaboration. Some highlights: - What has contributed to the significant increase in the number of meetings scheduled with the tr...

Apr 05, 2022•10 min

146 How to Build a Real Workplace Culture of Inclusion that Delivers Results with Cynthia Owyoung |Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Cynthia Owyoung, the vice-president of inclusion, equity, and belonging at Robinhood. Cynthia is also the Founder of Breaking Glass Forums, which aims to elevate diverse talent and inclusive organizations. In addition, she has established and led diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for over 15 years as an executive at organizations in multiple industries. In this conversation, Mahan and Cynthia Owyoung speak about Cynt...

Mar 31, 2022•43 min

145 Strategic Leadership and Creative Branding with David Gorodetski CEO of Sage Communications | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David Gorodetski. David is the co-founder and CEO of Sage Communications. David Gorodetski shares pivotal moments that led to his co-founding of Sage Communications. David also talks about the leadership challenges caused by the pandemic and how the crisis has helped him become a better leader. Finally, David Gorodetski shares why community involvement is essential for him and its role in Sage as the organization co...

Mar 29, 2022•40 min

144 How to Align Around Deep Purpose and Achieve High Performance with Harvard Business School’s Ranjay Gulati | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Professor Ranjay Gulati. Ranjay Gulati's work bridges strategy, organizational design, and leadership. In this conversation, Professor Gulati, who until recently chaired Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program, spoke about principles shared in his most recent book, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. Ranjay Gulati addressed how organizations can go beyond convenient purpose ...

Mar 24, 2022•34 min

143 Building on the Legacy of Pioneers to Become a Pioneer with Ernie Jarvis, CEO of Jarvis Commercial Real Estate | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Ernie Jarvis. Ernie is a fifth-generation Washingtonian and has established himself as a significant presence in the Greater Washington DC DMV region through his active involvement in the community and commitment to giving back. Ernie Jarvis has been a trailblazer on many fronts, including commercial real estate. In the conversation, Mahan and Ernie talk about how Ernie's heritage and upbringing have impacted his sense of respo...

Mar 22, 2022•45 min

142 How to Disrupt Yourself as a Leader and Build a High Growth Team by Mastering the S Curve of Growth with Whitney Johnson | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In today's episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan speaks with Whitney Johnson. Whitney is the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent development company. She also co-founded Disruptive Innovation Fund with Clayton Christensen, is the host of the Disrupt Yourself podcast, and is the author of the book Smart Growth: How To Grow Your People To Grow Your Company. Whitney Johnson talked about the S-curve of personal, leadership, and organizational growth. Whitney also discussed creating a...

Mar 17, 2022•46 min

141 Leading with Purpose and Designing the Future of Collaboration and Work with Gensler Co-CEO Diane Hoskins | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Diane Hoskins. Diane Hoskins serves as co-CEO and chair of the board of directors for Gensler. As an MIT-trained architect and an MBA from The Anderson School at UCLA, Diane's career has touched architecture, design, real estate, and business. She has broad responsibility for running the company, which spans over 6,000+ employees across the globe. Diane Hoskins shared how her upbringing impacted her professional and leadership ...

Mar 15, 2022•49 min

140 How to Lead for Productive Collaboration and Overcome Collaboration Overload with Rob Cross | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Rob Cross. Rob is the co-founder and chief research scientist at the Connected Commons business consortium. He is also the Edward A. Madden Professor of global leadership at Babson College. Rob Cross has been researching the underlying networks of influential organizations and the collaborative processes of top achievers for more than 20 years. Rob Cross shares research and examples on how the most effective organizations and e...

Mar 10, 2022•51 min

139 How to Adapt to the Speed of Change Through Hyper-Learning and Humility with University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Ed Hess | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Edward D. Hess. Ed Hess is a Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at the Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia. Ed Hess is the author of 13 books, including Learn or Die, Humility is The New Smart, and his latest Hyper learning: How to adapt to the Speed of Change . In the conversation, Professor Ed Hess shares why we need to accelerate our pace of learning in the digital age, some of the barriers ...

Mar 08, 2022•37 min

138 Challenging stereotypes through laughter and picking on bullies with Comedian & Actor Maz Jobrani | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Actor-Comedian Maz Jobrani. In addition to his comedy specials, Maz Jobrani has appeared on many of television's most popular shows, including Grey's Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Better Off Ted, and Shameless. He is also a regular on Stephen Colbert's late show, and he starred as the title character in the award-winning indie comedy, Jimmy Vestvood, which he co-wrote and co-produced. Maz Jobrani spoke about his early days in ...

Mar 03, 2022•47 min

137 Why Feedback is Essential for High Performance and How You Can Do it Well | Mahan Tavakoli Partnering Leadership Insight

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli shares his thoughts and research on the importance of providing regular feedback in the work environment. Mahan shares why many leaders avoid giving feedback and how to incorporate it into frequent interactions. Finally, Mahan shares tips on how to provide better and more productive feedback. Some highlights: - The thin line between feedback and coaching - How to provide feedback rather than avoid it - The challenges with feedback in the v...

Mar 01, 2022•11 min

136 Creating A Culture of Belonging by Leading Below the Surface with LaTonya Wilkins | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with LaTonya Wilkins. LaTonya Wilkins is the founder of The Change Coaches. She works with C-suite/executive leaders and their teams where human connection and cultural change happen: below the surface. LaTonya Wilkins is also the author of Leading Below The Surface: How To Build Real and Psychologically Safe Relationships With People Who Are Different From You . In this conversation, LaTonya shares how leaders can become more inclu...

Feb 24, 2022•35 min

135 Good Spirit Leadership at WGL, as Board Chair of Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and as an Entrepreneur with Luanne Gutermuth | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Luanne Gutermuth. Luanne formerly serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Washington Gas. In addition to co-founding Good Spirit Farm Winery with her husband, Luanne Gutermuth serves as Chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Luanne serves on the Washington Performing Arts and Northern Virginia Family Services board of directors. Some highlights: - Luanne Gutermuth on...

Feb 22, 2022•35 min

134 Simple Truths of Leadership, How to Be a Servant Leader and Build Trust with Ken Blanchard and Randy Conley | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Ken Blanchard and Randy Conley. Ken is the founder of the Ken Blanchard Companies and has co-authored more than 65 books on leadership, including all-time classics such as The One Minute Manager and Who Moved My Cheese, each with over 20 million copies sold. In this conversation, Ken Blanchard is joined by Randy Conley, Vice President of global professional services for the Ken Blanchard Companies. The discussion focuses on the...

Feb 17, 2022•43 min

133 The Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World with The Aspen Institute’s Judy Samuelson | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Judy Samuelson. Judy Samuelson is the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program's founder and executive director. Judy Samuelson is also the author of The Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World. In this conversation, Judy shares how societal shifts have changed traditional approaches to how businesses operate, a greater need for purpose, and the role of business in society. Judy also shares what l...

Feb 15, 2022•41 min

132 Practical Decision Making with the Creator of The Terms FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and FOBO (Fear of a Better Option) Patrick McGinnis | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Patrick McGinnis. Patrick coined the term FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and FOBO (Fear of a Better Option) while attending Harvard Business School. Patrick McGinnis is the author of two international bestsellers, including Fear of Missing Out: Practical Decision-Making in a World of Overwhelming Choice, and the host of the hit podcast FOMO Sapiens. In this conversation, Patrick McGinnis discusses why our need to be included can be...

Feb 10, 2022•42 min

131 Building Community and a Thriving Entrepreneurial Ecosystem with Tien Wong | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Tien Wong. Tien is the Chairman and CEO of Opus8 - private investment and strategic advisory firm. He is also Chairman of Lore Systems, an IT services company, Chairman of tech 2000, Inc., an Edtech company. Tien Wong is also the founder and host of the Big idea CONNECTprenuer Forum, a community of over 7,000 founders, CEOs, angels, and VCs. Tien Wong is a successful entrepreneur who has founded many firms, served on the boards...

Feb 08, 2022•35 min

130 How to Lead with Greater Curiosity and Creativity with Stanford D-School’s Sarah Stein Greenberg | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Sarah Stein Greenberg, executive director of Stanford D.school. Sarah leads a community of designers, faculty, and other innovative thinkers who help people uncover their creative potential and apply them to the world. She is also the author of Creative Acts for Curious People. In the conversation, Sarah Stein Greenberg shares ideas from the book and exercises that can bring out the creativity in any individual or team. Sarah a...

Feb 03, 2022•55 min

129 Four Critical Factors in Leading the Transition Back to the Office and Navigating the Hybrid Future of Work | Mahan Tavakoli Partnering Leadership Insight

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli shares his insights about the future of work, the upcoming transition of many organizations back to the office, and strategies to make hybrid work a success. Mahan also shares how leaders can think about changes experienced by their team members over the past two years as they build for a better future of work. Finally, Mahan shares four critical factors leaders need to consider in the hybrid future of work. Some highlights: - Why there is...

Feb 01, 2022•19 min

128 How You Can Prepare for The Acceleration and Lead in The Exponential Age with Azeem Azhar | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Azeem Azhar - writer, technology analyst, and creator of the acclaimed Exponential View newsletter. Azeem Azhar is a senior advisor to PwC and is an investor in early-stage startups in AI, renewable energy, female health tech, self-driving cars, and marketplaces. In the conversation, Azeem Azhar shared perspectives from his book The Exponential Age: How Accelerating Technology is Transforming Business, Politics, and Society. Az...

Jan 27, 2022•1 hr

127 The Influencer’s Influencer Leading for Community Impact with Akin Gump’s Tony Pierce | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Tony Pierce. Tony Pierce is Akin Gump's Washington DC office partner in charge. He has more than three decades of experience in trial and litigation. In addition to his leadership at Akin Gump and impactful work on behalf of his clients, Tony Pierce has played a crucial leadership role in advancing business and philanthropic initiatives in the Greater Washington DC DMV region. Tony Pierce has served as past chair of the Greater...

Jan 25, 2022•46 min

126 The Purpose Economy and The Science of Purpose & Fulfilment at Work with Aaron Hurst |Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Aaron Hurst, Co-founder, CEO of Imperative, the peer coaching platform, Founder of the Taproot Foundation, and the author of The Purpose Economy. Aaron Hurst shares why in the purpose economy value lies in connecting to employees to purpose through serving needs greater than their own, enabling personal growth, getting a greater sense of meaning, building community, and having a more significant impact. Aaron also talks about t...

Jan 20, 2022•40 min

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