WiLD Conversation

In this episode of WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna Rob and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with Matt Hangen, President and CEO of Water4, an organization radically reshaping how the world tackles the global water crisis. Moving past traditional, short-lived charity models, Matt shares how Water4 operates as a nonprofit that wholly owns for-profit water businesses in Africa. By using donations as catalyt...

What happens when a corporate culture prioritizes operational checklists over human character? In this dynamic episode of the WiLD Conversation Podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with Benj Miller, serial entrepreneur, leadership architect, and co-founder of System and Soul. Together, they unpack a foundational leadership paradox: the constant tension between human being and human...

What if the challenges we label as engagement problems, culture problems, leadership problems, or performance problems are actually trust problems at their core? In this episode of The WiLD Conversation Podcat, Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with trust expert and researcher David Horsager to explore why trust remains the foundational driver behind organizational health, leadership infl...

What does it take to lead in environments where trust, security, and uncertainty collide? In this episode of WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna sits down with global security strategist and author Christopher Stitt for a thought-provoking conversation on leadership inside complex systems, the paradox of vulnerability, and why trust is never static. Drawing from his experience in global security an...

In an industry where "box-checking" can often replace "soul-shaping," trust remains the invisible engine of successful healthcare organizations. This episode explores why trust isn't a light switch you can simply flip on, but a living process of maintenance, recovery, and truth-telling. We dive into the hidden costs of low-trust environments, where employees spend more time appearing trustworthy t...

In this soulful episode, Rob sits down with long-time peer and "architect of hope," Dr. Matt Russell, Executive Director of Iconoclast Artists & projectCURATE.  Together, they deconstruct the traditional myths of leadership, moving past "performative vulnerability" toward something much more rugged: Wild Trust. Sharing a powerful excerpt from his book, Whole Leaders Wild Trust, Rob sets the st...

Why are more than 8,000 college students gathering every week at Reed Auditorium at Texas A&M? In a cultural moment marked by perpetual stimulation without satisfaction, they aren’t showing up for more noise, they're showing up for something real. For leaders who are awake. In this episode of The WiLD Conversation Podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with Brian McCormack to expl...

How Mark Whitacre Went from FBI Informant to Culture Leader: Lessons on Trust, Purpose, and Repair In this powerful episode of the WiLD Conversation Podcast, Mark Whitacre once known as “The Informant” at the center of the largest price-fixing case in U.S. history, shares the deeper story rarely told: the long, costly, and redemptive journey of rebuilding a life. Hosted by Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabe...

In this WiLD Conversation Podcast, Dr. John Blakey joins Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu to challenge one of leadership’s most common assumptions: if trust is the most important currency in leadership, why aren’t organizations measuring it? Drawing from his research, executive coaching experience, and his recent Harvard Business Review article, Blakey argues that trust must move beyond inspirati...

What happens to leadership when "failure is not an option" transitions from a cliché to a literal reality? In this episode of the WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with Nick Lavery, US Army Special Forces Warrant Officer, Green Beret, and the first above-the-knee amputee to return to combat in US military history. Nick deconstructs the chemistry of high-stakes trust, th...

In this deeply reflective and practical WiLD Conversation Podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna welcomes Randy Conley, Vice President and Trust Practice Leader at The Ken Blanchard Companies, into a conversation that moves beyond trust as a concept and into trust as a relational, moral, and courageous practice. Together, they explore a reality many leaders experience but few name: trust is often broken not by...

In this episode of The WiLD Conversation Podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna sits down with Jeff Schiefelbein, managing partner of Undivided Life, for a courageous conversation about what it truly means to live and lead without fragmentation. Together they unpack why so many leaders feel divided between who they are and who they think they must be to succeed—and what it costs them, their families, and their...

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna and Ron Carucci dive into the hidden forces that shape honesty, trust, and character inside organizations. Ron—co-founder of Navalent, bestselling author of To Be Honest, and one of the most unflinchingly candid voices in leadership—reveals what 30 years of research and experience have uncovered: honesty isn’t just a virtue. It’s a muscle. And organiz...

In this compelling WiLD Conversation, global executive, former CEO of Korn Ferry, board director, and growth strategist Ana Dutra joins Rob McKenna to dive deep into the essential, yet paradoxical, foundations of effective leadership: vulnerability, trust, and purpose. Drawing on three decades of experience transforming organizations and leading Korn Ferry's $500M+ consulting business, Ana shares...

This special episode of the WiLD Conversation Podcast features Jeffrey Hunter, the visionary CEO, Founder, and Chairperson of Storyteller Overland. Dr. Rob McKenna is a proud owner of a Storyteller Stealth, giving listeners an intimate look at his personal "mode" and setting the stage for a deeply personal and insightful discussion. Jeffrey shares the origin story of Storyteller Overland, born fro...

From Building Systems to Cultivating People: A Path to Trust and Growth In this episode of the WiLD Conversation Podcast, host Dr. Rob McKenna sits down with Josh Wylie, President of Villara Building Systems, to reveal a leadership metaphor that reshapes how we think about influence: the builder and the gardener. Great leaders must be both. Builders focus on visible structures—systems, strategies,...

Patrick Lencioni, one of the most influential voices in organizational health together with Dr. Rob McKenna, dive deep to explore the heart of effective leadership—redefining success, reframing identity, and uncovering the surprising role of brokenness in shaping whole leaders. This episode of The WiLD Conversation Podcast begins lightheartedly with pet peeves, but quickly moves into transformativ...

In this unmissable episode of The WiLD Conversation podcast, hosts Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu are joined by the legendary Dr. Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School and the pioneering mind behind the globally transformative concept of psychological safety. With candor and clarity, Dr. Edmondson challenges long-held beliefs about leaders...

What really drives high performance? In this episode, global speaker and leadership strategist Jamie Crosbie joins Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu on the WiLD Conversation Podcast to challenge the metrics-only mindset and champion the human algorithm—where trust, courage, and clarity fuel sustainable success. Jamie reminds us: “If outcomes are king, then trust is the crown.” Together, they unpac...

In this powerful episode of The WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with Jose Rodriguez, CEO of Rescue a Generation, to explore what it truly takes to build and rebuild trust—in ourselves, our teams, and the next generation of leaders. From his courageous journey out of gang life to launching a thriving nonprofit that empowers urban youth across Southern California, Jose...

In this illuminating WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with Chris Shaffer, WiLD Leaders Strategic Development Architect and former Microsoft director. Chris Shaffer unpacks the profound shift in how we understand and cultivate trust in today's complex world. Moving beyond mere information, they delve into how real trust is "worked out" through vulnerability, conflict, a...

In this episode of The WiLD Conversation podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna sits down with Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman of WD-40—a leader who transformed a household product into a global brand and one of the most admired workplace cultures in business. Drawing from his 35-year journey at WD-40, including 25 years as CEO, Garry challenges conventional leadership norms and emphasizes the non-negotiab...

What if the key to trust wasn’t just character—but competence, clarity, and accountability? In this compelling episode of The WiLD Conversation Podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna sits down with longtime friend and fellow leadership practitioner Alex Shootman, CEO of Alkami Technology and author of Done Right: How Tomorrow’s Top Leaders Get Stuff Done. What unfolds is not just a sharp exchange between two se...

In this bold and timely episode of A WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna is joined by executive coach and HR leader Sam Willing to talk about one of the most courageous (and controversial) leadership moves: firing the wrong executive—even when they deliver results. Drawing from nearly three decades in HR and her own journey through grief and self-discovery, Sam shares how emotional regulation, exec...

In this powerful episode of The WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna sits down with Stephen M. R. Covey, best-selling author of The Speed of Trust, to explore the transformative power of trust in leadership, relationships, and organizational life. In a world marked by declining institutional confidence, Covey argues that trust isn’t just a value—it’s a measurable, learnable competency that multiplie...