Better Understanding with Susan MacKenty Brady

In this timely episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, host Susan MacKenty Brady sits down with globally recognized leadership expert and bestselling author Dr. Margie Warrell for a powerful conversation about courage, presence, and what leadership requires in today’s uncertain world. Drawing from her bestselling book The Courage Gap, Margie shares why courageous leadership is not about elimi...

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Susan MacKenty Brady sits down with leadership strategist and author Andrés Tapia to challenge leaders to rethink how they lead in a rapidly changing world. His core idea: inclusive leadership drives performance. When people feel seen, valued, and challenged, they contribute more and unlock discretionary effort that fuels stronger individual, te...

Difference is everywhere in today’s workplace - competing priorities, different interpretations of data, generational expectations, risk tolerance, speed versus caution. The real leadership challenge isn’t understanding differences. It’s leading through it. In this episode of The Better Understanding Podcast, Susan MacKenty Brady sits down with her All the Difference co-authors, Stuart Kliman and...

Women’s sports are no longer a niche story — they’re a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and authentic growth. In this episode, Susan MacKenty Brady welcomes Simmons Professor of Practice Justine Pouravelis and former NHL executive Bryant McBride to explore what leaders in every industry can learn from the explosive rise of women’s sports — from the structural impact of Title IX to the visibi...

Leadership that transforms organizations and communities is both visionary and deeply human — and Sandi Fenwick exemplifies it. As the first female CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital, Sandi led a $2.8B global healthcare and research enterprise through growth, innovation, and unprecedented challenges, including the pandemic. In this episode of Better Understanding, Sandi shares the lessons that guid...

In this episode of The Better Understanding, leadership expert Juliet Funt shares a simple but powerful idea: doing less can help you achieve more. Today’s leaders are ambitious and hardworking, but constant busyness can drain energy, creativity, and focus. Juliet explains why the “always-on” mindset - made even more intense by AI and nonstop communication - keeps many leaders stuck in reactive mo...

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, host Susan MacKenty Brady sits down with Kim Davis, Senior Executive Vice President of the National Hockey League and the 2026 Helen G. Drinan Visionary Leader Award recipient. Kim reflects on a career shaped by disruption—from navigating mergers early in financial services to leading large-scale cultural change in professional sports. She share...

Too often, men want to support women in the workplace—but don’t know how. In this episode, Brad Johnson and David Smith break down the myths, fears, and missed opportunities that hold men back from being effective allies. They share data-driven insights and real stories about what women say makes the difference, and how mentorship and sponsorship can open doors that change careers—and cultures. 3...

As the 19th Chief Master Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force, JoAnne Bass made history as the first woman and the first person of Asian American descent to serve as the highest-ranking noncommissioned officer in any U.S. military branch. In this powerful conversation, she shares the lessons that helped her rise to the top — from embracing every season as preparation for the next, to leading with humili...

In this candid conversation, Susan MacKenty Brady sits down with Mark Servodidio—CEO, cofounder of PGP Solutions, and former global CHRO and Fortune 300 President—to explore how real transformation happens when leaders double down on people. From building community through teams to creating cultures of trust and accountability, Mark shares powerful lessons from his leadership journey—where humilit...

What does it really take to lead with impact in a world full of change? In this episode, Tamla Oates-Forney—change-maker, people-centered executive, and advocate for inclusive leadership—joins Susan MacKenty Brady for a candid conversation about leading from your Best Self, even in uncertain times. Tamla shares how a personal health scare transformed her outlook, deepening her commitment to joy, p...

In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, change maker Lori Spicer Robertson invites us to live in our vision, not our circumstances. She shares how returning to your Best Self—especially during times of uncertainty—is a daily practice rooted in calmness, curiosity, and joy. From redefining emotional expression in leadership to building intentional work tribes and setting personal bound...

Dr. Astrid Sheil, Dean of the Simmons University School of Business and former Fortune 500 executive, shares how leading from your Best Self means embracing humility, learning from mistakes, and building trust. In this short episode, she reflects on personal growth, leadership challenges, and what it takes to inspire others while staying grounded in your values.

In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, Susan MacKenty Brady interviews Pete Church, a driving force behind the culture at Point32Health. Their conversation dives deep into what it means to lead inclusively and authentically in today’s workforce—especially in a complex, ever-evolving healthcare landscape. Pete shares powerful reflections from his own leadership journey, drawing from 3...

Susan MacKenty Brady welcomes Dr. Astrid Sheil, Dean of the School of Management at Simmons University. A former Fortune 500 executive and government affairs specialist, Dean Sheil has expertise in corporate communication, corporate social responsibility, strategic planning, board development, fundraising, crisis communication, and negotiation and bargaining. Astrid discusses the importance of lea...

Sophia Kianni, founder of Climate Cardinals and the youngest UN advisor in U.S. history, shares her journey in climate activism, offering insights into her work and leadership approach. She discusses Climate Cardinals, which focuses on making climate education accessible across languages, highlighting challenges while sharing success stories. Throughout the conversation, Sophia provides actionable...

We were born for this. In this episode, Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, "The Reinvention Guru," shows us why reinvention is the key to thriving in today’s constantly changing world. She explains that by adopting an adaptation mindset, tools, and skills, we can navigate both big and small disruptions in our daily lives. Nadya challenges us to quiet our minds, stay flexible, and identify adaptations to exce...

In S3, Ep. 2, innovator and social entrepreneur Jessica O. Matthews, the self proclaimed "love child" of Bill Nye the Science Guy and Beyoncé, explores the power of innovation as a lifestyle, emphasizing how embracing creativity and a growth mindset can lead to personal and professional transformation. She shares stories from her journey, including challenges faced while developing innovative solu...

Our featured guest, Lindsey Otradovec, is an esteemed leader making a significant impact at Intuitive, a leading robotic surgery and biotechnology company. As the Regional Vice President of Sales, she leads a $3 billion business with a diverse team of over 500 employees. In this episode, Lindsey opens up about her journey of courageous leadership, sharing how she has led authentically during one o...

In the final episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Tiffany Dufu, founder and CEO of The Cru and the author of the best-selling Drop the Ball, joins host Susan MacKenty Brady for a compelling conversation about what employers need to do to retain women in their organization and make them feel valued, how to boldly inspire a vision, and what it means to thrive. Don't miss Tiffan...

In the 11th episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Sally Helgesen, a renowned expert on women’s leadership, shares insights on how the landscape for women leaders has changed since the 1990 publication of her seminal book, The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership. She and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss leadership challenges in new normal of the peri-pandemic world an...

Dr. Richard Safeer, Chief Medical Director, Employee Health and Well-being, at Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the author of A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Healthier, Happier, and More Resilient Workforce, shares his six building blocks that help leaders create a well-being culture in their organization.

Amy Purdy is a 3-time Paralympic medalist and trailblazer in Paralympic Snowboarding, a New York Times best-selling author, and the host of a critically-acclaimed podcast about resilience called “Bouncing Forward.” She and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss her remarkable journey, grit, and courage that has propelled her to success in every aspect of her multifaceted career.

Masih Alinejad, the Iranian-born activist, journalist, and author, shares her extraordinary story of advocating for women’s rights, freedom, and political change in Iran—at great personal risk.

In the seventh episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal best-selling author and expert at self-reinvention, and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss how thriving in leadership shifted during the pandemic — and in the post-pandemic world. Dorie encourages listeners to flex their muscles of reinvention to remain fresh and innovative and avoid stagnatio...