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

275 Making DEI Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable with Amri Johnson | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader | Partnering Leadership Thought Leader

In this Partnering Leadership episode, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Amri B. Johnson, inclusion strategist and author of Reconstructing Inclusion: Making DEI Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable. In the conversation, Amri Johnson emphasizes the need for a more inclusive view of diversity that goes beyond marginalized groups and includes everyone. Amri also explores the concept of meritocracy and how it should be approached in organizations, highlighting the importance of recognizing potential an...

Aug 15, 2023•50 min

274 What AI Means for Your Life, Your Work, and Your World with Peter Scott, Founder Next Wave Insitute | Partnering Leadership AI Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Peter Scott, Futurist & Founder of Next Wave Institute and author of Artificial Intelligence and You: What AI Means for Your Life, Your Work, and Your World. In the conversation, Peter Scott shares his insights on the impact of AI on our lives and organizations, emphasizing the need for leaders to understand and navigate this technological disruption. He challenges leaders to reflect on their reactions to AI and encourages ...

Aug 08, 2023•44 min

273 Thursday Refresh with Paul Smith: How to Lead with a Story and The Ten Stories Great Leaders Tell | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Paul Smith, business storytelling coach and bestselling author of Lead with A Story, Sell with A Story, and The 10 Stories. In this episode, Paul Smith shares how leaders can use storytelling as a powerful business tool. Paul Smith also shared specific stories leaders need to tell to improve the clarity of their communications and motivate their teams. Some highlights: -Paul Smith on why many leaders are not good at telling sto...

Aug 03, 2023•49 min

272 Storytelling, Podcasting, Content Strategy and Leadership Insights, Mahan Tavakoli interviewed by Will Bachman on the Unleashed Podcast | Partnering Leadership Conversation

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Will Bachman, host of the Unleashed Podcast, interviews Mahan Tavakoli. Will Bachman is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a global community for top-tier management consultants. During the interview, Mahan Tavakoli discusses his work with CEOs and leadership teams, providing insightful examples of his strategies for fostering team collaboration and alignment to execute organizational strategy effectively. Listeners will gain valuable insight...

Aug 01, 2023•42 min

271 Why Community is the Last Great Marketing Strategy in the Age of AI with Mark Schaefer| Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Mark Schaefer, a renowned bestselling author of popular marketing books. The conversation focuses on Mark Schaefer's latest book, Belonging to the Brand: Why Community is the Last Great Marketing Strategy . During the discussion, Mark Schaefer shares valuable insights on personal branding, courageous leadership, and the power of humility. Emphasizing the significance of community in marketing, he explores how organizations can ...

Jul 25, 2023•58 min

270 How to Lead Your Organization Through Digital Disruption with Eric Lamarre, McKinsey Senior Partner & Coauthor of REWIRED: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI | Partnering Leadership AI Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Eric Lamarre, a senior partner at McKinsey & Company and co-author of the book Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI. Eric Lamarre shares his fascinating journey from engineering and oceanography to becoming an expert in data, analytics, and AI as a consultant for McKinsey. He discusses the importance of digital transformations in organizations and the pitfalls many companies face in achie...

Jul 18, 2023•47 min

269 The AI-Powered Enterprise: How to Make Your Business Smarter, Faster, and More Profitable with Seth Earley, CEO Earley Information Science | Partnering Leadership AI Global Thought Leader

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Seth Early, CEO & Founder at Earley Information Science and Award Winning Author of The AI-Powered Enterprise. In the discussion, Seth Earley, an expert in knowledge strategy and artificial intelligence, emphasizes the crucial role of understanding processes and use cases in successfully integrating AI tools within organizations. Seth Earley goes on to highlight why there is a need for organizations to build libraries of ...

Jul 11, 2023•41 min

268 Thursday Refresh with Whitney Johnson: How to Disrupt Yourself as a Leader and Build a High Growth Team by Mastering the S Curve of Growth | 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...

Jul 06, 2023•45 min

267 How to Be a Relentlessly Positive Leader with Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

Retired US Navy Admiral Kyle Cozak shares his inspiring journey of resilience and leadership in this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast. From his upbringing in Las Vegas to his life-altering accident, Admiral Cozak's story is a testament to the power of trust, positive thinking, and determination. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication, trust, and relatability in leadership and how these qualities can empower individuals to make the right decisions. Admiral Cozak's relentl...

Jul 04, 2023•48 min

266 Mastering Foresight and Becoming Future-Ready: Strategic Leadership Lessons for the Future with John Smart | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli engages in a thought-provoking discussion with John Smart, a globally renowned futurist, foresight consultant, and successful entrepreneur. As the author of Introduction to Foresight, Executive Edition: Personal, Team, and Organizational Adaptiveness, John Smart shares valuable insights on the criticality of foresight and adaptiveness in the face of exponential change. Delving deeper, he explores the importance of building practical skills...

Jun 27, 2023•57 min

265 Exploring AI's Impact on Business with Paul Daugherty: Accenture CTO & Co-author of Radically Human: How New Technology Is Transforming Business and Shaping Our Future | Partnering Leadership AI Global Thought Leader

In this engaging episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, host Mahan Tavakoli engages in an insightful conversation with Paul Daugherty, the group chief executive of technology and chief technology officer at Accenture. During the episode, Paul Daugherty emphasizes the criticality of adopting a technology-focused mindset and embracing constant reinvention and agility in the face of evolving technologies. He highlights the importance of organizations becoming learning organizations equipped ...

Jun 20, 2023•37 min

264 AI Ethics, Leadership & Governance with Renee Cummings, Professor of Practice in Data Science at UVA | Partnering Leadership AI Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Renee Cummings, Data Science Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia. In the conversation, Professor Renee Cummings, a criminologist and AI ethicist discusses the importance of bringing responsible, ethical thinking to deploying AI technology. She stresses the need for due process, recognizing the various forms of bias, ethical use and transparency in deployment, and good governance and oversight. Renee Cummings als...

Jun 13, 2023•53 min

263 Thursday Refresh with Rich Diviney: Secrets Of Navy SEAL Performance and Attributes as Drivers of Optimal Human Performance | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Rich Diviney, author of The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance. Rich Diviney is a retired Navy SEAL commander with 20+ years of experience as a Navy SEAL Officer, having completed more than thirteen overseas deployments, including serving as the officer in charge of training for a specialized command. During his service, Rich Diviney was intimately involved in the highly specialized SEAL selection process and ...

Jun 08, 2023•45 min

262 AI Unleashed: Exploring Tools, Tactics, and Strategies for Launching Your Team into the New AI Workplace, Tom Taulli and Mahan Tavakoli | Partnering Leadership AI Conversation

Partnering Leadership conversation between Mahan Tavakoli and Tom Taulli focuses on applying artificial intelligence (AI) in leading teams and organizations. Tom Taulli is a technology investor, advisor, and author of Artificial Intelligence Basics and a brand new book, Generative AI: How ChatGPT and Other AI Tools Will Revolutionize Business. Mahan begins the conversation by talking about the five critical areas for organizational leaders to consider concerning AI: strategic applications, opera...

Jun 06, 2023•48 min

261 Your Most Important Number: Increase Collaboration, Achieve your Strategy, and Execute to Win with Lee Benson | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Lee Benson, Founder of Execute to Win (ETW) and author of Your Most Important Number: Increase Collaboration, Achieve Your Strategy, and Execute to Win. In the conversation, Lee Benson shares his origin story, from his early days as a musician to his rise as a successful CEO, and the inspiration that led him to start ETW. Lee then breaks down the concept of value creation, showing its three forms and how focusing on it can sign...

May 30, 2023•51 min

260 Leading Through The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence with Professor Ajay Agrawal | Partnering Leadership AI Global Thought Leader

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Professor Ajay Agrawal, the Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. Ajay Agrawal is also the founder of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a not-for-profit program for early-stage, science-based companies, and coauthor of two outstanding books on Artificial Intelligence: Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics ...

May 23, 2023•42 min

259 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Deconstructed for Leaders with Lily Zheng | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Lily Zheng, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategist and Consultant. Lily Zheng is also the author of DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right. In the conversation, Lily Zheng talked about their upbringing, education, and how it influenced their perspective on race and inequality. Next, Lily Zheng shared why they advocate for a systemic approach to tackling DEI, including outcome-orient...

May 16, 2023•48 min

258 AI’s Impact on Marketing and the Future of Business with Paul Roetzer, Founder & CEO, Marketing AI Institute & Co-Author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence | Partnering Leadership AI Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Paul Roetzer, Founder & CEO of the Marketing AI Institute and Co-Author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing, and the Future of Business. After sharing his origin story, Paul shares why he became fascinated with AI in 2011 as a marketing agency owner. Next, Paul Roetzer explains how his curiosity led him to look deeper into AI, investigate it further, and speak to marketers about its potential, eventually lea...

May 09, 2023•42 min

257 Thursday Refresh with John Kotter: How to lead your organization through change to achieve hard-to-imagine results in uncertain and volatile times | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with John Kotter, professor emeritus at Harvard Business School, co-founder of a management consulting firm Kotter International and a pioneer in organizational change. John Kotter is the author of 22 books on change, including his most recent book, Change: How Organizations Achieve Hard-to-Imagine Results in Uncertain and Volatile times . John Kotter talks about the struggles leaders and teams face when it comes to change and how t...

May 04, 2023•47 min

256 Generative AI, AI Agents, Responsible AI, Chatbots, and AI-Driven Disruptions, Tom Taulli and Mahan Tavakoli | Partnering Leadership AI Conversation

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli first shares some of his perspectives on the transformation organizations and leaders will face due to advancements in artificial intelligence. Then Mahan welcomes Tom Taulli, AI author, investor, and advisor, to discuss the letter asking for a pause on the development of generative AI, the potential disruptive impact of generative AI, and the potential of AI agents built on top of Open AI's Chat GPT. They also discussed the need for serio...

May 02, 2023•47 min

255 The Path to Meaningful Work and Happiness in the Age of Smart Technology and Radical Change With Edward Hess UVA Darden Emeritus Professor | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, 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 15 books, including OWN YOUR WORK JOURNEY: The Path to Meaningful Work and Happiness in the Age of Smart Technology and Radical Change. In the conversation, Ed Hess shares why the rapid speed of technological change drastically differs from the previous eras and...

Apr 25, 2023•33 min

254 Organizational Strategy Using Artificial Intelligence and the Strategic Implications of AI with Yuval Atsmon Senior Partner McKinsey & Company | Partnering Leadership Global AI Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Yuval Atsman, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. In the conversation, Yuval Atsman discusses the difference between good strategies and why many organizations have lousy strategies. Yuval Atsmon goes on to share why CEOs and executives must embrace and experiment with AI to improve decision-making in the strategic planning process. Yuval Atsman then shares potential applications of AI technologies, including generative A...

Apr 18, 2023•42 min

253 Leadership in the Future of Work with Joseph Fuller, Professor of Management Practice and co-head of Managing the Future of Work Project at Harvard Business School | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Joseph Fuller, Professor of Management Practice in General Management at the Harvard Business School and co-lead of HBS's Managing the Future of Work initiative. In the conversation, Professor Fuller addressed the shifting nature of work and how organizations can attract, retain, and improve the productivity of their human assets. Joseph Fuller then shared research on hidden workers, degree inflation, and the necessity for part...

Apr 11, 2023•58 min

252 Thursday Refresh with Carolyn Dewar: CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Carolyn Dewar. Carolyn is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, McKinsey's Global Practice Leader for CEO & Board Excellence, and co-author of the book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. In the conversation, Carolyn Dewar shared how the authors identified the world's highest-performing CEOs using empirical data and determined the six mindsets that set the best apart. The ...

Apr 06, 2023•36 min

251 GPT-4, Microsoft Copilot, Google Bard, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s Concerns about AI’s Disruptive Impact and the Latest in Organizational Applications of AI, Tom Taulli and Mahan Tavakoli | Partnering Leadership AI Conversation

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli reflects on the impact of the accelerating speed of change due to artificial intelligence hitting the inflection point of its exponential curve. To discuss the latest in AI and how the developments will impact organizations, Mahan speaks with Tom Tulley, author of Artificial Intelligence Basics, who is also an investor and advisor to AI companies. First, Mahan and Tom discuss the significance of the release of GPT-4, its uses, and the impo...

Apr 04, 2023•37 min

250 Leading the Organization of the Future with the Father of Modern Day HR, Dave Ulrich | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dave Ulrich. Known as the Father of modern-day HR, Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and a partner at the RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. Dave Ulrich has published over 30 leadership, organization, and human resource books. The discussion with Dave Ulrich touches on measuring a leader's effectiveness, the di...

Mar 30, 2023•54 min

249 AI Technology to Support Social Changemakers at the Speed and Scale of Change with Emily Yu, AI Priori Founder & CEO | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Emily Yu, Founder & CEO of AI Priori. AI Priori is a technology startup that offers social changemakers a compelling new way to understand and address the world's most pressing challenges using AI technology. Emily Yu talked about how her background made her passionate about social change and using technology to understand better and address social needs. Emily Yu finally shared her vision for AI Priori and the positive p...

Mar 28, 2023•48 min

248 Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, The Metaverse & AI’s Impact on The Future of Work with Louis Rosenberg, AR/VR Pioneer & CEO Unanimous AI | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Louis Rosenberg. Louis Rosenberg is a pioneer in virtual and augmented reality with over 300 patents; he has started multiple businesses, including Founder Immersion Corp, Founder Outland Research, and Unanimous A.I., for which he currently serves as CEO and Chief Scientist. Louis Rosenberg has focused his work on the boundary between technology and human perception, aiming to enhance human performance with technology. In the...

Mar 23, 2023•48 min

247 Leadership Lessons from Decades of Executive Search and Placing High Performing CEOs with Paul Rothenberg | Greater Washington DC DMV Changemaker

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Paul Rothenberg. In the conversation, Paul Rothenberg shared why he came to Washington DC, how his career led him to an executive search career, and Paul joined the McCormick Group in 1994. Paul Rothenberg went on to talk about his active involvement in the community, including serving as Chairman of Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind; Chairman of Goodwill of Greater Washington; Executive Committee of the Rosslyn Business Improv...

Mar 21, 2023•42 min

246 Unlocking Growth through Purpose-Driven Leadership and a Culture of Engagement with Garry Ridge, Former CEO & Chairman of WD-40 | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman of WD-40. In the conversation, Garry Ridge shared his origin story and how a quote from the Dalai Lama helped him focus on organizational purpose. Next, Garry explained his why and the how behind making WD-40 an organization where people can contribute, learn something new, and ultimately go home happy. Then, Garry Ridge shared the leadership wisdom he has gained from Ken Blanchard and Marsh...

Mar 16, 2023•45 min

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