The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Details Are you the type of leader who will work hard, assume the risk, and try to save everyone? Are you the type that looks to develop those around you and give them the opportunity to grow? Or are you just getting the job done? What types of leaders do organizations need most? In this episode, we are discussing the benefits and downfalls of different types of leaders. Subscribe to Joe Folkman’s...

Details Have you ever tried to change anyone’s behavior at work? It can be extremely frustrating. So often the effort produces an opposite result: rupturing the relationship, diminishing job performance, or causing the person to dig in their heels. Still, some approaches clearly work better than others. We reviewed a dataset of 2,852 direct reports of 559 leaders. The direct reports rated their ma...

Details When CEOs describe what they want most in the people they hire, they consistently talk about honesty and integrity.  Among the leadership competencies that we measure, honesty and integrity have consistently received high scores, putting them at the first or second position in comparison to everything else. In this episode, we’ll unravel the real harm of our seemingly insignificant lies an...

Details What value is there in connecting with the outside world? What perspective can we gain from leaving our environment and gaining knowledge from the world around us? It turns out, being stuck inside your tower has a strong influence on some very key leadership skills. In this episode, we will explain the pitfalls of what we call the Rapunzel effect. Subscribe to Joe Folkman’s LinkedIn Newsle...

Details Every day you hear a variety of communications from different sources.  Some of these experts have excellent communication skills, while others have in-depth knowledge and expertise. Have you found that some of these messages are more believable than others? In this episode, we’re discussing how to communicate when you lack credibility Check out our … Continued

Details Humans are hard-wired to connect. They are social creatures that crave friendship and positive interactions with others. As much as we yearn for these interactions, however, many of us struggle to be good at building relationships. But why? In this episode, we’re discussing the key elements to developing positive relationships both within and outside of work. Register for our upcoming webi...

Details The great resignation has arrived. As new managers fill vacancies created by retiring Boomers, how do their skills compare with the seasoned older managers they replace? In this episode, we are uncovering what younger managers should know about how they’re perceived. Connect with Jack Zenger LinkedIn Twitter Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live … Continued

Details Have you ever questioned whether you or your direct reports are being as productive as they can be?  With the flexibility to work anywhere and anytime, how do you stay connected with your team and manager to maintain trust and signal productivity. In today’s episode, we discuss the five behaviors that indicate productivity. Connect … Continued

Details This has been an extremely challenging year. Many are hopeful about the progress that has been made but others still feel disconnected and discouraged. They lament that their current work has begun to feel stale. Yes, social isolation has compounded that. Working from home, while it has some benefits, also has many challenges. The … Continued

Details There are many new struggles with dealing with a hybrid workforce. While the increased independence has benefited organizational productivity, we still laying the ground rules for this reformed way of working. In this episode, we will discuss the benefits and struggles of increased independence in the workplace. Connect with Joe Folkman LinkedIn Twitter Webinar … Continued

Details How is the issue of personal accountability viewed in your organization?  Seasoned workers have undoubtedly seen their share of finger-pointing, dishonesty, and “CYOA.” However, personal accountability is a critical step toward improving leadership.  In this episode, we are discussing how when people are accountable for their own decisions the effectiveness of an organization can greatly …...

Details There is a great deal of interest today in our society on the topics of diversity, inclusion, and belonging.  While some people are flat-out biased the larger portion deal with an unconscious bias they often don’t recognize. In this episode, we’re exploring the benefits of 360 feedback tools that enable the gathering of sensitive … Continued

Details Remember that event that happened in 2020 that kind of disrupted your life? It turns out that despite all the chaos that happened last year employee engagement increased.  In this episode, we explore the new behaviors that led to this sudden increase in employee engagement. Connect with Joe Folkman LinkedIn Twitter Webinar Zenger Folkman … Continued

Details Are the individual contributors in your organization leaders? Are their “hard” skills the only type of useful skills they possess at that level? When it comes to those sitting on the lower levels of the corporate ladder, there are many controversial views of the value of developing “soft” skills for the “worker bees.” In … Continued

Details The pandemic rapidly accelerated many companies’ digital efforts, but did you possess the digital expertise necessary to function in a completely new work environment? Sure you’ve had a year to work on your zoom skills, but are you running with the rest of your team, or do still feel like you are lagging behind … Continued

Details Is there someone on your team who seems unusually productive? Someone who gets a huge amount done — without working longer hours? How do they do it? That’s what their coworkers usually wonder. We wanted to know too. In this episode, we share the results from a study with 7,000 employees showing which skills define these super productive heroes of the workplace. Connect with Jack Zenger Lin...

Chip Conley, the author of Emotional Equations and former Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy at Airbnb, joins Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman in this edition of the Zenger Folkman podcast series to discuss the role of an elder in offering advice and direction to a younger generation. He draws from personal experiences … Continued

Expecting to change the culture of any size organization is quite realistic. It starts with strong and sustained leadership rippling out from the senior leadership team. After all taking responsibility is the highest mark of great leaders. In this episode, we are diving into the struggles of developing a company culture with the founder of The … Continued

Details Do you ever feel pressure and urgency to generate fresh, new ideas or make time to be innovative? Our economy is driven by innovation– new products, new ways to deliver, and new methods to serve. All of these require creativity.  A 2015 study on Global Innovation reported that U.S. companies spend $145 billion dollars on … Continued

Details: Coaching conversations are worth planning. They take up valuable time for both parties, so that time should be put to its most efficient use. A good coaching conversation can improve relationships, performance, motivation, and results. In this episode, we discuss a proven framework for coaching conversations to guide leaders effectively through the process. Guest … Continued

Ryan Smith, Founder and Executive Chairman of Qualtrics, joins Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman in this past edition (2016) of the Zenger Folkman podcast series to discuss the story of Qualtrics, a company started in his dad’s basement with a valuation of $2.5 billion 15 years later. Ryan tells the story of Qualtrics, … Continued

Details There are many things competing for your attention every minute of the day. Attention, not money, is the most valuable commodity there is.  Solving a complex problem is an exciting experience, but what happens when people don’t accept your solution? It’s true that one big hurdle with problem-solving is knowing how to sell the solution and get others on board. In this episode, we are analyz...

Details: There are many things competing for your attention every minute of the day. Human attention is the ultimate scarce resource. One of the characteristics that organizations value most in a leader is the ability to consistently produce good results—in short, leaders are valued in large part for how productive they are. What gets in the way of greater productivity? In this episode, we are dis...

Details: There are many things competing for your attention every minute of the day. Human attention is the ultimate scarce resource. One of the characteristics that organizations value most in a leader is the ability to consistently produce good results—in short, leaders are valued in large part for how productive they are. What gets in the way of greater productivity? In this episode, we are dis...

Details A resilient leader is a person who sees failures as temporary setbacks they can recover from quickly. They maintain a positive attitude and a strong sense of opportunity during periods of turbulence. When faced with ambiguity, a resilient leader finds ways to move forward and avoids getting stuck. It’s a skill you didn’t know you need until you really need it. In this episode, Joe Folkman...