Leading Up: The Work Shift

Originally released July 2023, Alan sits down in this episode with Dave Ulrich, often referred to as the “Father of Modern HR.” It’s a fascinating conversation about creating value for the customer, always working from the customer backwards, and thinking about business from the outside in. Alan and Dave discuss how your job as a leader is to make someone else better, and how you can intentionally...

While we prepare new episodes to share with you in January 2024, Alan wants to highlight a conversation from March 2023 with Stew Friedman, founder of The Wharton Leadership Program and the Wharton Work/Life Integration Project at The University of Pennsylvania to talk about leadership as a lifelong practice. They discuss how leadership skills can completely transform your mental health, business...

For the final episode of Season 4, Udemy CEO Greg Brown joins Alan Todd to share some of the keys to his success. Brown discusses how his interest in Stoic philosophy, sports background, and intense morning routine work together to give him a competitive advantage in business and life.  Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Ian Leslie, the author and researcher behind the books Curious and Conflicted, joins Alan Todd for a spirited conversation on the different types of curiosity. They discuss why organizations should strive to create a culture where there’s no such thing as a silly question and everyone’s curiosity is rewarded. Listeners will learn strategies for opening up your mind to creative thinking and the dif...

Dr. Vasant Dhar has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence research since he received his doctorate in the field over 40 years ago. Now, he teaches a new generation of AI leaders at NYU Stern School of Business. Dhar joins Alan Todd for a rousing conversation on where AI will take us, and why he believes business leaders looking to sharpen their AI toolkit should study philosophy. Learn...

Leadership expert, Udemy instructor, and former World Bank executive Elizabeth Pagé is no stranger to managing successful teams through tough times; shortly after she began working at the financial institution she was tasked with leading her team through a process shift that came directly from the bank’s president.  In this conversation with Alan Todd, Pagé shares tools for giving and receiving fe...

CEO coach and author Jack Daly didn’t get to where he is today by sitting by and allowing it to happen: he set ambitious goals and tracked his progress to them. Today, he’s run marathons in every state and on every continent, has competed in over a dozen Iron Man triathlons, has written multiple books, and is widely hailed as one of the best sales coaches in the business. In this interview with Al...

Yvell Stanford, Talent and Learning Lead at the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority, is a lifelong teacher and learner. So when she found herself outside of academia for the first time, she decided to use her talents and drive to create her own position, making her responsible for the professional development of over 70,000 employees of the MTA. In her role, she’s forged new ground, creating a...

Jennifer Barnes, Global Learning & Development Leader at chemical and materials company Celanese, has led learning and development efforts across industries from healthcare to telecom. She sits down with Alan Todd to talk about how she thinks about supporting early-career employees, from internship to onboarding and beyond.  Jennifer’s insights into company culture and how to achieve your highest...

Sacha Connor, the CEO and Founder of Virtual Work Insider, is no stranger to leading remote and hybrid teams. She joins Alan Todd to discuss the biases that leaders must overcome and best practices for leading and contributing to distributed teams. If you’re in the corporate workforce, there’s a good chance that your team is distributed over different locations or time zones. This episode will unl...

Roberta Matuson is a talent consultant and author of several incredible leadership books, including international bestseller Suddenly In Charge, Can We Talk?, and The Magnetic Leader. She discusses how to manage up and how to have difficult conversations at work. If you're looking to become a more effective leader, this episode is for you. Listen now to learn from Roberta Matuson's years of coachi...

Brad Watt, Chief Learning Officer at Colgate-Palmolive, joins host Alan Todd to discuss why leaders who put people first make their teams shine. Brad shares his insights on why great leaders are also great teachers, and how to create an environment where every employee can thrive. He also reveals how Formula 1 racing can teach us a thing or two about team building.  Brad’s decades of leadership ex...

Leading Up is back with a brand new season of episodes. Host Alan Todd, VP of Leadership Development at Udemy, dives into engaging conversations with leading executives and professional development experts. This season, we’re focusing on how to leverage new technologies like AI and create invested leaders who unlock the potential of employees, whether they’re working in the office or home. This is...

Originally released April 2022. Alan sits down with Molly Nagler, Chief Learning Officer at PepsiCo, to discuss the dramatic evolution of the way we work from in-person to distributed work. Arguably, there’s one skill you need to hone more than any other in order to keep up with rapid change: Communication, the ability for nothing to get lost in translation. It’s a special episode and we’re re-rel...

Stephanie Stapleton-Sudbury, President of Udemy Business, joins host Alan Todd to discuss how self-awareness and vulnerability-based leadership are crucial when tuning into your customers’ and company’s needs alike. Stephanie has revolutionized the customer success industry with her resourcefulness and curiosity, and she guides us through the key components needed to create an environment that fos...

Hassan Osman, Senior Vice President of Professional Services at NWN Carousel, joins host Alan Todd to share insights on being effective in the remote workplace. Hassan discusses the importance of balancing organizational needs with personal ones, setting boundaries, and maintaining proactive and responsive communication. Hassan provides actionable tips to thriving in our evolving hybrid work world...

This week on Leading Up, Dr. Robert Wengrzyn joins host Alan Todd to discuss how servant leadership empowers employees to take ownership of their roles, creating a more dynamic and healthy workplace. As Supply Chain Talent & Learning Manager at Intel, Dr. Rob shares personal anecdotes with valuable insights on how building equity with your team can lead to long-term benefits for your organization....

Receiving feedback can be tough. Giving it can be even tougher. This week on Leading Up, executive coach Alisa Cohn joins host Alan Todd to discuss having candid conversations for improved performance, and how effective communication plays a pivotal role in a leader's success. Alyssa brings the depth of her expertise to offer practical strategies to overcome imposter syndrome, and shares her insig...

How can emerging leaders navigate the paradoxes and tensions in the ever-changing world of work? David Ulrich, the father of modern HR, speaks with host Alan Todd about the idea of value creation in leadership development and focusing on the customer as the ultimate winner or loser in the workplace battle. Dave shares his thoughts on the importance of balancing empathy with market success, and off...

Have you ever felt like an imposter in your own workplace? You're not alone. Sabrina Khan, Performance & Development Manager at Encompass and an expert in creating inclusive environments at work, joins host Alan Todd to talk about how to overcome self-limiting beliefs and champion learning in our careers. Sabrina shares her insights on the growing importance of learning in today's organizations th...

Lt. Col. Adam Pannone shares how his military training can be used to hone the skills needed for success as a leader in the private sector. A West Point grad, former military officer, and now a Digital Program Leader at Johnson & Johnson, Adam shares how his experiences in the military have led him to understand the value of broadening his knowledge and skill sets for creative and innovative probl...

Everyone has an idea of what their career journey will look like and it is up to them to own it. We all have a destination and it doesn’t have to always be a “ladder.” Someone’s journey may oftentimes look like a jungle gym or a lattice! This week on Leading Up, Dr. Hamaria Crockett joins host Alan Todd to discuss leadership development and training, authenticity in the workplace, finding your pro...

Nearly three quarters of companies in the United States have adopted or plan to adopt a hybrid model of work. We’re a few years into this hybrid work experiment, but we are still figuring out exactly how leaders can unite, motivate, and develop their teams.  This week on Leading Up, Rebecca Ray joins host Alan Todd to discuss the future of work, succeeding with hybrid work, and her vision of the w...

Are you prepared to thrive at your first job or internship? Get ready to navigate the workplace with Shannon Lewandowski, Development Program Director at Great American Insurance Group. This week’s conversation dives into the common skills gaps for new college graduates, how to navigate the corporate environment, and how to find joy at work. From her own journey of transitioning from social work t...

Leading Up is back with a whole new season of episodes. Host Alan Todd, VP of Leadership Development at Udemy, sits down with top researchers and practitioners to lay out the blueprint for leadership development. This is the podcast for emerging and seasoned leaders alike and anyone looking to level up their career.  Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.