Imperfect Leaders

Amy Edmondson - the immensely popular professor at the Harvard Business School - has done amazing research on the benefits of psychological safety. Great companies create a culture that not only allows - but encourages - people with diverse points of view to openly express ideas and to challenge one another.   Today's guest - Sid Pandiya - is the co-founder of Kona - a software company that h...

Should a couple of speeding tickets - or perhaps a big, brand new house - disqualify a top CEO candidate?  Should hiring companies investigate - or even care about - the personal lives of top executive prospects? Today's guest - Professor Aiyesha Dey , Harvard Business School - is a governance expert who recently conducted fascinating research on exactly this topic - and Corporate America sho...

There's a reason why top CEOs have David Teece's phone number on speed dial.  Because Teece is one of the few people on the planet who can help these CEOs solve their most complex challenges.  Teece is a scholar-entrepreneur who is equally comfortable creating a multi-disciplinary theory that solves a complex business challenge; directing an elite research institute at U.C. Berkeley; or...

In today's podcast, Aman Bhutani - the CEO of Godaddy - shares his incredible leadership journey - from a modest upbringing in India to the CEO of one of the top technology firms in the world. Bhutani's leadership style is refreshing. He completely embraces vulnerability and makes a habit of learning from past mistakes.  HIs mindset helps him connect authentically with others and create a cul...

Josh Flagg has written a seminal new book called -  "The Deal" -  which I predict will soon become required reading in universities and business schools across the country - because it throws into stark relief salient lessons in business, leadership and life.  " The Deal " is as funny and disarming as it is practical and smart.  In today's conversation, Josh shares his unique p...

Spencer Rascoff is the legendary founder and CEO of iconic companies including Zillow, Hotwire, and most recently, Pacaso – a real estate company that is totally democratizing second home ownership.  Like Mark Zuckerberg and Reid Hoffman – creators of Facebook and LinkedIn – Rascoff knows how to build a revolutionary brand that taps into the deepest of human emotions and desires – a skill tha...

Yanni Hufnagel - the founder and CEO of Lemon Perfect - is one of the most passionate entrepreneurs in the country - not just the $13 billion enhanced water industry.    He has created a product, a brand, and a values-driven corporate culture that is widely admired by consumers and celebrity-investors across the country - including Beyonce , Blake Griffin , Sloane Stephens , Jared Mccain...

All leaders face obstacles in today's fast-moving, unpredictable world. But women - especially working mothers - 'power moms' - face challenges that most men can barely comprehend.   Almost daily, power mom's confront unique obstacles and unconscious biases. We are fortunate to have on today's show, one of the country's top experts on this subject - Joann Lublin.  She is a Pulitzer Prize...

The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock is a TS Elliot poem that rings true with todays guest, Bryan Leach, founder and CEO of Colorado based unicorn - Ibotta .  In the poem, Prufrock laments a string of intellectual dead ends and lost opportunities, and is haunted by what could have been - instead of his reality - struggling through never ending, visceral feelings of regret, shame, and humiliatio...

None of us like to get fired. It can cause intense shame and humiliation. But imagine getting fired by then President of the United States (Donald Trump) with the entire country watching the drama unfold on Fox News.  This is exactly what happened to today's guest - Richard Spencer - when he refused to exonerate Commander Eddie Gallagher after breaking the Navy Seal code of honor. How did thi...

Leadership guru Simon Sinek once famously said, "Customers will never love a company until employees love it first."  Today's guest, Todd Olson, CEO and Founder of Pendo, takes this advice to heart.   Pendo is a software company that helps other software companies make their product even better. Olson and his co-founders have created a uniquely fertile corporate culture that attracts and...

Gene Berdichevsky is going to change the world. Actually, he's already begun. The company he founded - Sila - has created a new technology that dramatically improves the performance of batteries in electric vehicles, smart phones, watches and so much more.  As CEO of the company, Gene has encountered a dizzying array of technical hurdles - but even more daunting are the leadership challenges...

When Chuck Muth was the Chief Growth Officer at Beyond Meat the company experienced faster growth than virtually any other food product in history.  The company went on to conduct an IPO - and saw its stock price soar to unimaginable heights, all fueled by the growth that Chuck led.  Earlier in his career, Muth worked his way up through the ranks at Coca Cola.  Muth makes a convinci...

Eileen Murray is one of the most powerful women on Wall Street. And she has been for decades.  She was co-CEO of Bridgewater, the global hedge fund behemoth, a senior executive at Morgan Stanley, and a current board member at HSBC and the financial regulatory agency FINRA.  In this episode of Imperfect Leaders she shares perspective on governance, leadership development, core values, and...

Click here for free weekly episodes delivered to your inbox and the opportunity to join live discussions with top leaders. Today’s guest – Roger Martin – is one of the smartest people on the planet when it comes to business and leadership. He was recently voted the #1 by Thinkers50 a ranking of the most influential global business thinkers. He is on speed dial of hundreds of famous CEOs across the...

Tom Sellig is this week's podcast guest - and the CEO of Adare, an amazing pharmaceutical technology company owned by top private equity investors, Thomas H. Lee and Frazier Healthcare.    Tom was kind enough to let me sprinkle in a few questions that I often use during actual CEO interviews when Boards ask me to help them assess top prospects. Rising star leaders can listen and lea...

Hall of Fame venture capitalist, Doug Leone of #1 ranked Sequoia Capital, discusses the imperfections that will absolutely destroy you during a pitch. He offers practical advice for future founders and leaders. This podcast was taped during Doug's session with student leaders across the country!  Click on www.imperfectleaders.com for free weekly episodes delivered to your inbox and the o...

Ever wonder why an astounding 95% of CEOs in Corporate America are white males?  Why do so few black people - and other minorities - make it to the corner office? Most companies talk a good game about building a robust and diverse leadership pipeline. Organizations claim to create cultures that inspire and enable people to reach their full potential. The best ideas win. Everyone has equal opp...

Click here for free weekly episodes delivered to your inbox and the opportunity to join live discussions with top leaders. Brad Karp has been the Chairman of Paul, Weiss since 2008. He is described by Chambers as “the best strategic adviser in the business,” “the best litigator in the country,” and “someone who every CEO in America should have on speed dial.” Brad is described by The New York Time...

Click here for free weekly episodes delivered to your inbox and the opportunity to join live discussions with top leaders. Alan is almost 90 years old and a living legend in the venture capital arena. He has been a pioneer in this industry for over 50 years.  Fifty years!  Let that sink in for a moment. When he first started there really was no well defined industry at all. It was a bunc...

Click on www.imperfectleaders.com for free weekly episodes delivered to your inbox and the opportunity to join live discussions with top leaders. Thumbtack - a marketplace for professionals who can take care of  your home - is a gem in the portfolio of Sequoia Capital, the legendary venture capital investors.   Through his vulnerability and thoughtfulness, Thumbtack CEO, Marco Zappacosta...

Where do Elon Musk and James Cameron go when they need a creative jolt of inspiration?  Both recently went backstage at Cirque du Soleil and asked an awful lot of questions. They were like kids in the proverbial candy store. So, who the heck is in charge at Cirque? The CEO - for nearly two decades - was a man named Daniel Lamare. I have been wanting to interview him for quite some time - to h...

Click here for free weekly episodes delivered to your inbox and the opportunity to join live discussions with top leaders. NBA Coach and TNT Star Analyst Stan Van Gundy has a unique perspective on talent. He believes that people who never fail, simply aren't getting out of their comfort zone - and that's a huge problem.  Coach Van Gundy has been in - and out - of the proverbial arena describe...

Talk about breaking bad. Bernard Hurley was locked up in a maximum security prison - serving what he thought would be a life sentence. Yet now he is one of the most successful business leaders and philanthropists in the state of Colorado.  How did he turn it all around?  If you want to learn about resilience - I mean, really learn what it takes to bounce back from extreme failure - don't...

Brad Smith is one of the most admired leaders in Silicon Valley.  But, when Brad was in grade school, a little girl he had a crush on made fun of him and called him 'stupid'. This had quite an impact. It's now a core part of Brad's authentic story.- or what I would call a crucible moment that helped determine what was most important in his life. In everyone's life, there are crucible moments,...