How Leaders Lead with David Novak

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: Are there red flags to look for that typically indicate that someone is not going to be a great partner? At what point does someone need to fold and cut their losses? How would you approach coaching someone who tends to be negative, guiding them towards adopting a more positive mindset?  ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leaders...

Is one of your 2025 goals to strengthen your team or shift your culture? If so, you’ll love hearing from Louise Brady, the co-founder and managing partner at the successful VC firm Piedmont Capital Partners. She shows how powerful it is when leaders prioritize the people around them. When you go above and beyond for your team, it comes back to you—and not just in a fluffy, feel-good way.  As you’l...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How can you break down Pat's thought that leaders ought to treat their current job like their next job? What are the best ways a leader can remind their team of their standard of excellence? If you were creating your own shield like Pat, who would be your hero? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a da...

Thinking about your next career move?  Most leaders are. But if you don’t approach it the right way, it can cost you.  Sometimes, you can get so caught up thinking about your next big career move that you lose focus on what really matters—which is doing excellent work in whatever role you’re in now. See what that looks like in action in this episode with Louisville men’s basketball head coach Pat...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What is it about writing songs that makes you want to keep doing it and how do you keep coming up with ideas? How should business leaders incorporate emotional leadership into their own style? What advice would you give a leader who’s trying to figure out who their core audience is and how to serve them better? ——— GO DEEPE...

If you want to start 2025 with more focus and efficiency, this is the episode for you! Drew Holcomb fronts a beloved Americana band called Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors.  And he knows something that a lot of leaders don’t: you can waste a lot of time and energy chasing after customers and fans that won’t really help your business grow. Listen to this episode to discover the power of super-serving...

In this episode, we take all the great wisdom from the last three months and highlight the most impactful takeaways for you. The Best Of Q4 features leadership insights from these incredible leaders: Eliah Drinkwitz, Head football coach at Mizzou Mike Wirth, Chairman and CEO of Chevron Tom Nolan, CEO of Kendra Scott Fawn Weaver, Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey John Peyton, CEO of...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How do you as a leader create momentum around big dreams without overcomplicating it for your team? What ways could Karla's ‘fewer, better,’ concept apply to leadership? How would you advise leaders on how to balance maintaining their core offerings with driving innovation and introducing new products? ——— GO DEEPER Scale u...

Got a big idea, but not sure what to do about it? Discover the power of dreaming big (and then starting small) in this episode with Karla Gallardo, the co-founder and CEO of Cuyana.  Inspired by her upbringing in Ecuador, Karla co-founded Cuyana on the principle of selling fewer, better things. Thirteen years later, they’ve hit $35 million in annual revenue and are loved by tastemakers like Meghan...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What’s the secret to staying hands-on with the details without getting bogged down in them? What would you say to a leader dealing with this dysfunction tax, but they say, “Well, it’s always been this way so there’s nothing I can really do about it.”?  What would you say to leaders who are kicking the can at offering coachi...

What’s the “dysfunction tax” — and how is it costing your business?  Find out in today’s episode with Jared Belsky. He’s the CEO of Acadia, a digital marketing agency that works with big names like Red Roof Inn, Maggiano’s, and Party City. Plus, Jared has a lot of practical advice to maximize your ad agency partnership — for better communication, ad creative, and results!  You’ll also learn: The d...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What is your take on Doug's belief that you can’t perform at your best mentally if you aren’t at your best physically? What is it about Doug’s leadership that made him so successful in a field he didn’t know much about? How can leaders in a competitive industry retain their top talent? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership...

“Excellence” is a word we tend to throw around in the business world. But it’s not just a standard you aim for. It’s a habit you develop! And no one exemplifies that better than Doug Hirsch, the owner of the Arizona Drive Pickleball Team and founder of Seneca Capital. Plus, he’s a philosophy buff, a chess whiz, and a nationally ranked pickleball player himself! Hit play on this conversation for an...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: Do you have any practices similar to Jeni where you get connected to your sense of intuition? What does Jeni's take that leadership is about finding the sweet spot of compromise mean for you and your leadership style? Have you ever had to get into character to perform a task or get something done? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up you...

When it comes to decision making, do you trust your instincts? Listen to this episode with Jeni Britton, the founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, and learn from a leader who’s fully attuned to her creative instincts and knows how to trust her gut. Also, you’ve been warned: this episode contains graphic details of wildly creative ice cream flavors. You will get hungry. You’ll also learn: How to l...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What can leaders learn from this mindset of continuous striving, even after achieving significant success? How can leaders apply this approach of transparency and trust by integrating these types of feedback loops into their own businesses? Can you share a story about the work Yum! did to address food insecurity across the...

If you want to ignite your creativity and develop great ideas, you’ve got to understand the power of pattern thinking.  It’s the ability to spot what’s working for someone else, and then adapt it to your own situation to create something new. And this episode’s guest is an outstanding pattern thinker. Scott Harrison is the founder of the nonprofit charity:water, which works to bring clean, safe wa...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What's the most powerful leadership lesson you’ve learned from the female leaders you’ve worked with? How can managers strike the balance of letting people make mistakes and learn for themselves while at the same time not jeopardize business performance? As a leader, how do you know when it’s time to go? ——— GO DEEPER Scale...

When Erika Ayers Badan became the CEO of Barstool Sports, they didn’t even have a P&L. Eight years later, they’re a media empire and a household name worth over $550 million. Listen to this conversation to get an inside look at how Erika led that effort, and what she’s up to now as the CEO of Food52.  You’ll also see how Erika leads with honesty and directness. She doesn’t shy away from the tough...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What did you do to counter the negative perceptions and recruit great people to the food service industry? What stood out to you most about Aaron’s leadership that you think leaders everywhere should emulate? How much is too much when it comes to sharing with your team? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 min...

If you want your team to feel comfortable taking risks and being open, it’s up to you to set an example of vulnerability. That big idea comes through loud and clear in this conversation with Aaron Witt, the CEO of BuildWitt. His company serves what Aaron calls the “Dirt World” — those businesses doing the infrastructure and construction work most of us take for granted. See how this up-and-coming...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: Did you ever have a viral moment happen at Yum! Brands? How do you inspire your team to embrace an agile mindset daily, especially when the pace of change can feel overwhelming? How did you embrace new technologies like AI? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Down...

No doubt about it: the world is changing fast.  As a leader, how do you help your team navigate that uncertainty instead of feeling overwhelmed by it? Listen to this conversation with John Peyton, the CEO of Dine Brands – which includes IHOP, Applebee’s, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. You’ll find practical strategies to help your team stay agile and act with urgency. Because, let’s face it: a fast-changin...

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What’s your take on Fawn saying she went after a big project for the press story? Would you have done the same thing? As a leader who mines every scenario for insights, what advice can you give leaders about “mining for the gem” in difficult scenarios? How should leaders approach defining the ideal type of employee that ali...

If you need some inspiration to keep moving forward on a big mission, this is it. Today’s guest is Fawn Weaver, the Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, which has been the most awarded whiskey in the world for six years running. It’s named for a former enslaved man named Nearest Green, who taught Jack Daniel everything he knew about distilling whiskey. Fawn uncovered his story and bro...