The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

The Future of Employee Development For decades, employee development has largely been reserved for leaders and high-potential talent. But as organizations face growing succession challenges, talent shortages, and a rapidly changing workforce, many are beginning to ask an important question: What about everyone else? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down … Continued The p...

Episode Description Why do so many capable professionals overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly limiting trust, credibility, communication, and career growth? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Zenger Folkman co-founder Jack Zenger to explore new research on one of the most important drivers … Continued The post Episod...

Episode Description Why do so many capable people overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly damaging trust, credibility, communication, and career growth? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Joe Folkman to explore new research from Zenger Folkman on the surprising gap between how individual … Continued The post Episode 185...

Episode Description In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, BreAnne Okoren and Jack Zenger sit down with leadership expert Michelle Fabian to explore one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of effective coaching: presence. While many leadership coaching models focus on goal setting, performance gaps, and action plans, this conversation takes a different approach. Michelle shares …...

Episode Description Gossip may seem like a minor workplace habit, but the research tells a very different story. In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne and Joe Folkman explore new data from Zenger Folkman’s 360-degree leadership assessments revealing how destructive comments about others can quietly undermine a leader’s effectiveness. Based on feedback from hundreds of … Continued The pos...

Episode Description In a time of tighter budgets and higher scrutiny, leadership development is often one of the first investments leaders feel pressure to justify—or cut. But what if that decision is quietly costing organizations far more than they realize? In this episode, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Orin Salas, Vice President of Sales at Zenger … Continued The post Episode 182: Does Leadershi...

Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren and Joe Folkman unpack Zenger Folkman’s new Leadership Skills 2026 Report?and explore what truly differentiates leaders in an AI-accelerated world. As AI makes information faster and cheaper, one capability is becoming increasingly scarce: human leadership. Drawing on fresh data from tens of thousands of leaders and direct … Continued...

Details Trust in leadership is often framed as a generational issue—older leaders are assumed to be more credible because of experience, while younger leaders are expected to “prove themselves” before earning trust. But Zenger Folkman research challenges these assumptions. In this episode of The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast, BreAnne Okoren sits down with renowned … Continu...

Details Emotional intelligence has dominated leadership conversations for years—and for good reason. Leaders who listen, empathize, and build strong relationships create healthier, more engaged teams. But what if EQ isn’t the primary capability driving leadership effectiveness? Drawing on a global dataset of 128,000 leaders and 360-degree feedback from over a million raters, they explore what … Co...

Details Are workplace evaluations truly objective—or do subtle perceptions still shape how we see male and female leaders differently? In this episode, host Bre Okoren sits down with leadership researcher Joe Folkman to unpack one of the largest real-world analyses ever conducted on gender and leadership effectiveness. Drawing from 12,000+ 360-degree evaluations, Joe reveals a surprising paradox:...

Details Consider this episode your Strengths-Based Leadership 101. BreAnne and Joe revisit the foundation of Zenger Folkman’s entire leadership philosophy — the data-driven insight that extraordinary leaders are not well-rounded; they’re exceptional in a few distinctive areas that matter most. Drawing from over 100,000 leadership assessments, Joe explains why traditional development programs focus...

Details In this special episode of The 90th Percentile, we unpack how Jotun—the Norway-based, family-owned paints and coatings company operating in 100+ countries—elevated leadership effectiveness using Zenger Folkman’s Extraordinary Leader program. Partnering with Arcadia Consulting, Jotun moved from a baseline well below industry average to outperforming peers, all by doubling down on a strength...

Details What separates the best decision-makers from the rest? In this episode, Joe Folkman shares research on nearly 16,000 leaders to reveal seven key qualities that enable effective decision-making. Discover why information overload slows decisions down, how to balance speed with quality, and the surprising link between decision-making effectiveness and employee engagement. If you’re struggling...

Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we sit down with Kathleen Crenshaw and Christopher Bisgrove from Desert Financial Credit Union to explore how they are rethinking leadership development and investing in people. From building programs that reach leaders earlier in their careers to making learning opportunities more accessible, Desert Financial shares the principles … Continued The po...

Details What if great leadership could go viral? In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, Dr. Jack Zenger joins BreAnne Okoren to explore how positive leadership behaviors—like openness, respect, and accountability—spread through organizations and transform cultures. Drawing on decades of research, Jack reveals why developing leaders at scale creates psychological safety, sparks innovation,...

Details Psychological safety is not a new term anymore, but it has matured into a foundational leadership capability, much like communication or trust no longer a “nice to have,” but a critical driver of collaboration, retention, and innovation. Drawing on Amy Edmondson’s groundbreaking research and Zenger Folkman’s data from 18,000 employees, they unpack the eight leadership behaviors that … Cont...

Details Dr. Susan David is a founder and co-director of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital of Harvard Medical School and an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard University. In this episode, Susan discusses her research on emotional agility and how to master challenges without getting derailed. Download the eBook of her full interview here. Guest … Continued The post Bonus Episode– Susan D...

Details In today’s episode, we’re unpacking the results of a massive leadership study — over 63,000 assessments — to answer one key question: What makes certain leaders truly unforgettable? We’ll explore the 10 specific behaviors that set the most exceptional leaders apart, backed by real-world examples from sports, business, and history. Whether you work in … Continued The post Episode 171: Memor...

Details In today’s episode of The 90th Percentile, we challenge one of the most persistent myths in modern work: that you must choose between speed and excellence. As AI accelerates productivity at lightning pace, many leaders are wondering—can humans keep up without compromising quality? Dr. Jack Zenger joins us to share groundbreaking research from over … Continued The post Episode 170: AI, Spee...

Details In today’s episode, we’re unpacking new research from Zenger Folkman that reveals what truly separates high-performing teams from the rest. After analyzing 171 teams—many of which were struggling with negative customer feedback—we identified 10 key behaviors that predict whether a team will turn things around or stay stuck. If you’re leading teams or responsible … Continued The post Episod...

Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we explore why wellbeing programs are more than just perks—they are a leadership imperative. Shanna Goodell shares how Druva is shifting the narrative around employee wellness, embedding it into leadership development, and addressing real-life challenges like women’s health in the workplace. From building inclusive spaces to driving … Continued The p...

Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we sit down with Rose Christensen, Senior Learning & Development Leader at Wright Service Corp., to explore what it really takes to grow leaders across dispersed, specialized, and fast-growing teams. With over 6,000 employees spread across North America and roles ranging from field-based technicians to executives, Wright … Continued The post Episode...

Details With pressure mounting on managers to coach more often and more effectively, can AI offer real help—or does it risk making coaching feel robotic? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we talk with Mark Schaff, former Principal Learning Administrator at the Orange County Transportation Authority. Mark brings decades of coaching and leadership development … Continued The post Episode 166:...

Details What if the biggest barrier to performance isn’t an individual leader—but the team itself? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we speak with Paul Leboffe, longtime facilitator of Zenger Folkman’s Extraordinary Team experience. With 25+ years of business and legal expertise, Paul has helped teams uncover blind spots, strengthen trust, and dramatically improve … Continued The post Episod...

Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we explore the enduring relevance of a decades-old leadership theory that feels more urgent than ever. Joe Folkman joins us to revisit Control Graph Theory—first introduced in the 1960s—and shares new research from over 200 teams showing why the total amount of influence in an organization matters … Continued The post Episode 164: Control vs. Influen...