What can a New Zealand rugby team teach you about leadership? This week, Stan and Chris speak to James Kerr to discover the answer to that question. James Kerr, a bestselling author, speaker, and business consultant, brings an inquisitive mind and practical observations to the conversation. Stan and Chris explore some of the lessons learned from James's best-selling book, Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, examining the symbols, rituals, practices, and values th...
Jul 13, 2021•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris speak with Jake Harriman, the Founder and CEO of More Perfect Union and former Infantry and Force Recon Platoon Commander in the Marine Corps. Jake has lived a life in service to others, focusing on international poverty, as well as the dangers of political extremism in the United States. After spending his childhood in West Virginia, Jake matriculated to the United States Naval Academy – and upon graduating, went on to serve in the Marine Corps as an Infantry and Force...
Jun 29, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris take some listener questions - and speak to some of the burning topics on their minds. As we transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic and look to the future of leadership, they took 40 minutes to dive into what they, and our listeners, are thinking about. They reflect on helpful lessons from communicating in a remote environment, consider the relationship between leadership and ego, as well as the tensions between habits, rule-following, and adapting to be efficient to a...
Jun 22, 2021•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris speak to Ruba Borno, Senior Vice President and General Manager in Cisco's Customer Experience organization. Stan first met Ruba when she was Chief of Staff to the CEO at Cisco and has been impressed at how Ruba has been a “make it happen” executive throughout the years. Ruba has her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and spent time at Boston Consulting Group before coming to Cisco in 2015 - where she has been Vice President of Growth Initiatives and Vice President and Gene...
Jun 15, 2021•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris speak to Lisa Gevelber, the Chief Marketing Officer, Americas Region at Google, and Vice President of Grow with Google. Lisa has had a fascinating career. A student of Psychology, Lisa started her career at Proctor and Gamble, working at a variety of companies (some start-ups) before moving to Google in 2010. Stan and Chris speak with Lisa about the challenges of technology equality, how she is building trusted networks with community partners to promote economic opport...
Jun 08, 2021•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris speak to Gautam Mukunda. Gautam is an expert in leadership who says he aims to have the world's most confusing resume. Gautam is a Jeopardy champion, former consultant, and a Research Fellow at Harvard Kennedy's Center for Public Leadership. He has degrees from Harvard, Dartmouth, and MIT and is the host of Nasdaq's "World Reimagined" podcast. Gautam speaks to leadership and power, the risks of having "superstars" on teams, and gives us a new perspective on the story of...
Jun 01, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris speak with Jeevan Kalanithi and Michael Fleischman of OpenSpace. Jeevan is the CEO, and Michael is the Co-founder and Chief Scientist of OpenSpace, which provides cutting-edge technology for capturing and mapping job sites. Jeevan and Michael speak about building a narrative around new technology, how OpenSpace could have helped with Boston's Big Dig Project, and how tech start-up leaders are unique.
May 25, 2021•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast In light of the recent Colonial Pipeline cyberattack, Stan and Chris revisit a conversation they had with Jamil Farshchi, the Chief Information Security Officer at Equifax. Jamil has had a distinguished career in information security transformation: he was the first-ever Chief Information Security Officer at Time Warner and worked with both Home Depot and Equifax to build safer networks after their respective cyber breaches. Jamil shares the importance of building culture in our teams and discus...
May 20, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris sat down with Henrik Andersen, President and CEO of Vestas Wind Systems. Henrik is leading in an industry that is driving large-scale, global change – shifting how people think , one wind turbine at a time. Henrik shares the importance of letting your leadership grow, trusting your team even in complex crises, in a world increasingly dependent on renewable energy.
May 11, 2021•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris speak with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Patty Horoho, former Army Surgeon General and 23rd Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. Patty is the current CEO of OptumServe. Patty shares insights from her military career, her strategic viewpoint on healthcare, and what it was like to trailblaze as the first female and nurse Surgeon General.
May 04, 2021•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris sit down with Christiana Riley, CEO of Deutsche Bank USA Corporation. After a decades-long career in Germany, Christiana moved to NYC to lead the bank's American branch six months before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Christiana shares the power of communication in an essential global bank, why trust is an outcome and not an input, and what American society can learn from the German economy.
Apr 27, 2021•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris sat down with Lisa Jaster, a US Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel and Engineer, and one of the first three women to graduate Ranger School. While most candidates go to Ranger School in their 20s, Lisa was 37 when she graduated from the Army's grueling 62-day training course. Lisa reflects on the role of women in special operations, how fitness is key to her lifestyle and leadership in the military and private sector, and how she refuses to "let the quit in" when facing ad...
Apr 20, 2021•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris sit down with Jim Hackett, former CEO and President of Ford Motor Company. Jim is no stranger to the CEO role: at 39 years old, Jim was the youngest CEO of Steelcase. He brings decades of expertise to the conversation, discussing why leadership is the intersection of high empathy and high ego, how to build precision at scale, and reveals what businesses can learn from mouses and elephants.
Apr 13, 2021•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris sat down with Paul Fipps, former Chief Experience Officer at Under Armour and current Senior Vice President of Customer and Partner Excellence at ServiceNow. A former infantry soldier in the 82 nd Airborne Division, Paul reflects how the Army shaped his leadership style. Paul discusses taking on “non-obvious roles” in companies to develop new skill sets, how and why you should be creating "epic experiences" for customers, and what questions you should be asking as your ...
Apr 06, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan and Chris speak with Tristan Harris, the Co-Founder & President of the Center for Humane Technology, the primary subject of the Netflix documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” and former Design Ethicist for Google. He brings years of experience in the technology sector to the conversation, focusing on social media's pervasive influence on how we think and interact. Between the addictive nature of our devices and how much influence something as little as the “like” button has on citize...
Mar 30, 2021•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Dr. Atul Gawande, surgeon, author, and public health researcher, dives into the importance of leadership in the healthcare space. He was a member of President Biden’s COVID-19 transition advisory team and shares his unique perspective on the world’s response to the pandemic. An expert in his field, Dr. Gawande, discusses the similarities between doctors in the operating room and world leaders responding to COVID-19, why checklists and voicing up save lives, and what questions you shou...
Mar 23, 2021•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sam Kennedy, President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox, says he works in the “toy of department of life,” providing joy, distraction, and excitement for fans nationwide. Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sat with Sam at the beginning of the Red Sox’s Spring Training and discussed Sam’s three priorities for the Red Sox: winning games, preserving Fenway Park, and being active in the community. Sam shares what it’s like to lead in a fishbowl with some of the nation’s most enthusiastic fans and why th...
Mar 16, 2021•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sat down with Tyson Voelkel, the President of the Texas A&M Foundation. The Texas A&M Foundation aims to build a brighter future for Texas A&M University as its primary academic fundraising institution. Most recently, the Foundation raised over $4.25 billion in Texas’s largest higher education campaign - a scale of at least $1.2 million every day, for 365 days straight. Tyson is a thoughtful, adaptable leader who brings his 12 years of leadership as a...
Mar 09, 2021•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stan McChrystal once told Keith Krach that he was one of the few leaders he’s known in business that we could put a uniform on tomorrow and be effective as a general officer in the United States Army. This week, Stan and Chris Fussell sit down with Keith Krach, the former Chairman, CEO, & President of DocuSign, the former Chairman and CEO of Ariba, and most recently, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. They discuss Keith’s leadership across the public a...
Mar 02, 2021•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every night at 9 p.m. EST, Rachel Maddow sits down to discuss the latest in American politics on her award-winning "The Rachel Maddow Show." This week, Stan and Chris explore Maddow's conclusions about leadership after her 13 years of examining the political space - discussing whether Americans overweigh the importance of leadership, as well as the role of media in politics, using history and experience as their guide.
Feb 23, 2021•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell first sat down with "Mayor Pete" Buttigieg in April of last year to record their first episode of No Turning Back. Stan and Chris release the episode's audio for the first time, revisiting now-Secretary Buttigieg's thoughts on the power of local leadership to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, the necessity of trust, and the need to innovate as we tackle global challenges. As Secretary Buttigieg starts his new role in the Cabinet, Stan and Chris reflect on the challe...
Feb 16, 2021•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is the Space Force? How do you build a new armed service and lead a new frontier? This week, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sit down with Lt Gen Saltzman, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the United States Space Force, to hear the answers to these questions. As the first US Air Force general officer who was transferred and promoted in the Space Force, Lt Gen Saltzman discusses the newest armed service in the Department of Defense and shares what’s at stake for protecting our space c...
Feb 09, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Walgreens has a new incoming CEO: Rosalind (Roz) Brewer. Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell revisit their fascinating conversation with Roz, reflecting on how her value-based approach to leadership, connection to frontline workers, and long-term focus on initiatives rather than immediate wins will position her well to take on the CEO role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Feb 02, 2021•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tim Brown and Iain Roberts are experts within the design thinking field, and are the Executive Chair at IDEO and its Chief Operating Officer, respectively. This week, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sit down with Tim and Iain to learn more about how design shapes the world to fit consumers' needs, how prototyping mitigates risk, and why organizations learn faster by building faster.
Jan 26, 2021•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell interview Mike Hayes, a 20-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, the former Director of Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council, and most recently, the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at VMWare. Hayes is a dynamic and experienced leader who shares his changing perspective on risk as he shifts through industries, how he approaches the first 90 days in any new role, and what businesses can learn from the SEALs’ training technique to lift a gian...
Jan 19, 2021•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast Garry Kasparov is one of the world's most well-known and accomplished chess players. But he built on his excellence and notoriety in chess to become a pro-democracy advocate in Russia, and for democracy globally. Through his remarkable career at the heights of the game, Garry proved that hard work is a talent, and that mistakes are great fuel for practice. Beyond chess, Garry discusses his ongoing efforts to promote democracy worldwide, how he thinks about risk-taking, and finding your purpose....
Jan 13, 2021•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Stan and Chris kick off the new year with an episode answering questions from No Turning Back listeners. This podcast started in April of 2020 during the heavy uncertainty of crisis, leaving leaders in uniquely tough situations trying to support the health of their team and business. It’s thanks to our listeners that we’ve been able to continue this podcast many guests and months later. Enjoy Stan and Chris as they answer questions on national service, leading through change, and their surprisin...
Jan 05, 2021•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Simon Sinek is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why , which led to his viral TED Talk about how great leaders inspire action with the concept of “why.” He is a thought leader changing how we connect leaders and organizations together to inspire a sense of purpose and action. A visionary and optimist, Simon shares his perspective on the future of organizations, observations from teams this year, and why people are so motivated to find their purpose.
Dec 29, 2020•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast Brian Kilmeade, co-host of Fox News show Fox & Friends and author of numerous books about historical American leaders, shares his perspective about present-day leaders and how they compare to leaders throughout history. In this episode, they discuss how Brian’s day to day work in the media creates the space for him to be a leader, record history each day, and compare today's climate with past eras and what it means for those in the public eye.
Dec 15, 2020•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jan Singer is one of America's most experienced fashion retail CEOs. She's built a reputation and a playbook for effectiveness and agility through her CEO roles at Spanx, Victoria's Secret, and J.Crew. She joins Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell on this week's episode to share her experience of becoming a senior leader, transforming companies in the retail space, and leading them through the pressures of a pandemic.
Dec 08, 2020•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
