Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

Guest: Dr. Barry Johnson If you think you have to solve problems, think again. You might be better off leveraging tensions instead! Dr. Barry Johnson, creator of the Polarity Map®, joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore how “both/and” thinking helps leaders navigate complexity, avoid false choices, and drive sustainable performance. From clarity and flexibility to structure and innovation, Barry sh...

Guest: Neil Sahota, United Nations AI Advisor From internal sabotage and mistrust to ethical blind spots and cultural misalignment, this conversation dives deep into the real reasons AI transformations succeed or stall…and the solutions you need to make AI work in your company. You’ll also hear powerful examples of machine-human collaboration, the rise of AI bosses, and why trust is now a core lea...

Guest: Neil Sahota, United Nations AI Advisor Most AI failures aren’t caused by bad code. They’re caused by bad leadership.   In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf talks with UN AI advisor and IBM Master Inventor Neil Sahota to uncover the 5 fatal mistakes most organizations make when adopting AI. From the myth that AI is "just software" to the risk of automating bad processes, Neil explains why 4...

Guest: Sebastian Salicru, Psychologist & Author Are we training leaders for a world that no longer exists?   Leadership expert and psychologist Sebastian Salicru joins host Maureen Metcalf to tackle one of today’s most pressing challenges: the failure of traditional leadership in a world defined by complexity and change. More importantly, they explore what today’s leaders actually need to succ...

Guest: Andrew Palmer, The Economist columnist & Boss Class host What makes a great boss, and why do so many managers get it wrong? The Economist columnist and Boss Class host Andrew Palmer joins Maureen Metcalf to break down what actually works in leadership today. From radical autonomy at Supercell to intentional culture-building at Toyota, this episode explores real-world strategies for crea...

Guest: Mike Hardy, ILA Board Chair The real leadership crisis isn’t about performance. It’s about how we handle differences. In this powerful episode, Professor Mike Hardy, Founding Director of the Centre for Peace & Security, joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore the defining leadership challenge of our time: Pluralism vs. Prejudice. It’s critical: even if your organization only operates in o...

Guest: Mike McLellan, COO, DHL Supply Chain (North America) What does it take to keep your business humming through tariffs, tornadoes, and all the other disruptions in today’s world?   Mike McLellan of DHL shares insights on building resilience, both in your leadership and your supply chains, the importance of redundancy, and how DHL provides an example of supporting clients in navigating challen...

Guest: Dr. Karen Longman, Professor Emerita, Azusa Pacific University Why do so many capable, driven women still get overlooked for top leadership roles—and what can we do about it? In this powerful episode, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with Dr. Karen Longman, a global scholar on leadership and gender equity, to unpack the deep-rooted biases that shape how we define (and reward) leadership. Ther...

Guest: Steve Daley, Koch President of Principle Based Management What does it take to build a resilient, innovation-driven culture—without relying on rigid rules or micromanagement? In this episode, Steve Daley shares how Koch reimagines work through Principle Based Management. Hosted by Maureen Metcalf, this conversation dives into how Koch empowers employees by trusting them with responsibility,...

Guest: Dr. Susan Madsen, Professor of Leadership, Utah State University   How did ten female governors become powerful, authentic woman leaders? What can you learn from them for your own leadership path?   In this inspiring conversation, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with Dr. Susan Madsen, founder of the Women and Leadership Project, to explore how women grow into their leadership identities—not...

Guest: Greg Moran, Ford’s Former Chief Strategy Officer The time to “wait and see” is over. Thanks to AI, no matter what your industry, you need to act now. On everything.   That’s the core message from guest Greg Moran as he surveys a behind-the-scenes revolution AI has already spawned: fast, cheap development of new ideas. New technologies drastically reduce the time and cost to develop and depl...

Guest: Cynthia Cherrey, President & CEO, International Leadership Association The turbulence you see in the world now isn’t going away. Your leadership style must change to meet it.   Fortunately, guest Cynthia Cherrey sits at the very center of both the most effective real-world leadership practices and the latest cutting-edge leadership theories. In this episode, she shares the leadership de...

Guest: Joe Nardone, President & CEO, Columbus Regional Airport Authority In this episode, Joe Nardone shares a candid, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a $2 billion airport terminal…and a future-ready organization. Joe dives into the true drivers of successful change: a relentless vision, a culture rooted in respect and innovation, and the hard reality that transformation often...

Guest: Michael Marks, Founding Managing Partner at Celesta Capital & Former Tesla Interim CEO Politics aside, tariffs simply can’t work without devastating business. That’s just one candid, no-nonsense point Michael Marks brings in his conversation with host Maureen Metcalf.   Marks is one of the most respected tech investors in Silicon Valley, with a four decade track record that includes hig...

Guest: Jonathan Reams, Chief Creative Officer You’ve been through leadership training; why didn’t it work?   Because it wasn’t about you. That’s the conclusion Jonathan Reams – the CCO of Norway’s Center for Transformative Leadership – came to. You’re unique, and most off-the-shelf leadership programs don’t take the time for you to dig deep into yourself to discover what makes you tick as a leader...

Guest: Jeroen van der Veer Crisis and scandal hit your company. The very first thing you must do: abandon your gut instincts. Blame, downplaying, and delay will all make the situation worse. Then follow the example of guest Jeroen Van der Veer; he became CEO of oil giant Royal Dutch Shell in the midst of a major scandal.   He shares what he learned about navigating through crisis in this episode....

Guest: Theo Edmonds, Culture Futurist® We explore the declining state of American innovation in this episode, focusing on the pivotal role of wonder and creativity in driving growth and innovation in the workplace. Our guest, futurist Theo Edmonds, has identified the key innovation barriers: fear, frustration, and fragmentation. He also identifies solutions to overcome them. It taps into something...

Guest: Michelle Harrison, Global CEO, Verian   Join us in an engaging conversation with Michelle Harrison as she discusses the challenges of balancing leadership responsibilities with family life. Michelle shares her personal experiences, the importance of transparency, and the contextual nature of decision-making as a leader. She also dives into inclusivity, gender issues in the workplace, and th...

Guest: Diego Ugalde What if the key to elite leadership isn’t control, but deep self-awareness and emotional intelligence? In this episode, Maureen Metcalf sits down with retired Navy SEAL, leadership expert, and storyteller Diego Ugalde to explore how authenticity, trust, and inner mastery reshape the way we lead. Drawing from his experience in high-stakes environments and his personal transforma...

Guest: Subhanu Saxena, New Rhein managing partner & former Gates Foundation director   Divisiveness goes beyond politics. It creeps into the workplace, too, sapping your teams. Great leaders know how to unite instead of divide their organizations so all energy is devoted to success. Those leaders also know themselves.   Our guest, Subhanu Saxena, explains that mindfulness is the first step in...

Guests: Mike Hardy, ILA Board Chair, & Steve Killelea, Founder of Institute for Economics & Peace It happened unintentionally, as if by accident: working in Africa, philanthropist Steve Killelea realized economics and peace are deeply intertwined.   Applying the business and leadership acumen that built his fortune in tech, Steve developed his eight pillars for positive peace. These pillar...

Guests: Cynthia Cherrey, CEO of the International Leadership Association There is no single solution. That truism is hard-won wisdom from the leadership experience of guest Cynthia Cherrey. From both research and practice, she’s learned that the issues leaders face are far more complicated than most of us realize.   That’s particularly true today, with a surge in confusion and chaos cascading from...

Guest: Helle Bank Jorgensen, CEO of Competent Boards Are you ready for a robot on your Board of Directors? That’s just one change some corporate boards are considering. In these turbulent times, boards must change – but what are the best options to ensure your organization thrives?   Helle Bank Jorgensen joins host Maureen Metcalf to provide insights she’s garnered from years of studying boards. S...

Guest: Barbara Kellerman, Founding Executive Director, Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership Bad leadership is everywhere, running the spectrum from simple incompetence to outright evil. So why don’t we do a better job of calling it out, if not fixing it? Guest Barbara Kellerman shares her ideas and solutions, including how this is seen in both the political and corporate spheres. Sh...

Guests: Henry Mintzberg & Jonathan Gosling, Co-Founders of One Planet Leadership What does it take to rebalance society and change the world?   Easy: you…and your leadership. Although that answer is easy, accomplishing change can be hard. Guests Henry Mintzberg and Jonathan Gosling have studied this for decades, and share both the issues and the solutions for rebalancing society. It may be dif...