Episodes

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Edward D. Hess. Ed Hess is a Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at the Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia. Ed Hess is the author of 15 books, including OWN YOUR WORK JOURNEY: The Path to Meaningful Work and Happiness in the Age of Smart Technology and Radical Change. In the conversation, Ed Hess shares why the rapid speed of technological change drastically differs from the previous eras and...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Yuval Atsman, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. In the conversation, Yuval Atsman discusses the difference between good strategies and why many organizations have lousy strategies. Yuval Atsmon goes on to share why CEOs and executives must embrace and experiment with AI to improve decision-making in the strategic planning process. Yuval Atsman then shares potential applications of AI technologies, including generative AI. F...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Joseph Fuller, Professor of Management Practice in General Management at the Harvard Business School and co-lead of HBS's Managing the Future of Work initiative. In the conversation, Professor Fuller addressed the shifting nature of work and how organizations can attract, retain, and improve the productivity of their human assets. Joseph Fuller then shared research on hidden workers, degree inflation, and the necessity for part...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Carolyn Dewar. Carolyn is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, McKinsey's Global Practice Leader for CEO & Board Excellence, and co-author of the book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. In the conversation, Carolyn Dewar shared how the authors identified the world's highest-performing CEOs using empirical data and determined the six mindsets that set the best apart. The six mind...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli reflects on the impact of the accelerating speed of change due to artificial intelligence hitting the inflection point of its exponential curve. To discuss the latest in AI and how the developments will impact organizations, Mahan speaks with Tom Tulley, author of Artificial Intelligence Basics, who is also an investor and advisor to AI companies. First, Mahan and Tom discuss the significance of the release of GPT-4, its uses, and the impo...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dave Ulrich. Known as the Father of modern-day HR, Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and a partner at the RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. Dave Ulrich has published over 30 leadership, organization, and human resource books. The discussion with Dave Ulrich touches on measuring a leader's effectiveness, the di...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Emily Yu, Founder & CEO of AI Priori. AI Priori is a technology startup that offers social changemakers a compelling new way to understand and address the world's most pressing challenges using AI technology. Emily Yu talked about how her background made her passionate about social change and using technology to understand better and address social needs. Emily Yu finally shared her vision for AI Priori and the positive poten...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Louis Rosenberg. Louis Rosenberg is a pioneer in virtual and augmented reality with over 300 patents; he has started multiple businesses, including Founder Immersion Corp, Founder Outland Research, and Unanimous A.I., for which he currently serves as CEO and Chief Scientist. Louis Rosenberg has focused his work on the boundary between technology and human perception, aiming to enhance human performance with technology. In the...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Paul Rothenberg. In the conversation, Paul Rothenberg shared why he came to Washington DC, how his career led him to an executive search career, and Paul joined the McCormick Group in 1994. Paul Rothenberg went on to talk about his active involvement in the community, including serving as Chairman of Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind; Chairman of Goodwill of Greater Washington; Executive Committee of the Rosslyn Business Improv...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman of WD-40. In the conversation, Garry Ridge shared his origin story and how a quote from the Dalai Lama helped him focus on organizational purpose. Next, Garry explained his why and the how behind making WD-40 an organization where people can contribute, learn something new, and ultimately go home happy. Then, Garry Ridge shared the leadership wisdom he has gained from Ken Blanchard and Marsh...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dr. Anne Kress, President of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), the third-largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the conversation, Anne Kress shares the origin of her passion for community college education and its impact on people's lives. Next, Anne Kress talked about the importance of bridging the gaps in the community b...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Jonah Berger, Wharton School professor and internationally bestselling author of Magic Words, Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst. In the conversation, Jonah Berger talked about the role of influence in our lives and leadership. He explained why influence is a tool and how to use it for positive impact. Jonah Berger then addressed the role of language in influencing others, and the six types of research supporte...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform the future of work and leadership. Mahan first addresses the hype around AI and urges caution while also mentioning the long-term transformative impact of AI on organizations and the future of work. Next, Mahan shares why he believes the future of work will be an augmented one where human intelligence will be augmented through the use of Artificial Intelligence. Then, to help list...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Caren Kenney. Caren Kenney is the CEO and Founder of Evolve Leadership and coauthor of Leading with Character: 10 Minutes a Day to a Brilliant Legacy. In the conversation, Caren shared why she cofounded a business focused on wellness and mental health, which was then bought by Johnson & Johnson and became part of their Human Performance Institute. Next, Caren Kenney spoke about how leaders can develop their skills and become ...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Debbi Jarvis, Vice President & Chief Communications Officer at AltaGas. Debbi Jarvis talked about the impact of her upbringing as a Midwestern girl from Kalamazoo, Michigan. How her sales career led her to pursue journalism and becoming a TV anchor, eventually bringing her to Washington, DC. Debbi Jarvis went on to share about her transition to Pepco, why she was asked to start a Corporate Social Responsibility group while th...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dan Turchin. Dan Turchin is the CEO of the AI company PeopleReign and host of the podcast AI & The Future of Work. First, Dan shared thoughts on the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Silicon Valley and the potential of hybrid or fully remote work in organizations. Next, Dan Turchin mentioned a Worknet future where organizations hire the best talent and create a fluid work structure. The conversation then turned to AI advancements an...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Khari Brown, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Spark the Journey. In the conversation, Khari Brown shared the impact of his upbringing, what drew him to basketball, and the leadership lessons he learned in playing the game. Khari shared the origin of his passion for educating youth and his involvement in Capital Partners for Education, rebranded last year as Spark the Journey. Khari Brown talked about the impact of the ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Mark C Crowley, author of Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century. In the conversation, Mark C Crowley shared how his tough childhood contributed to his leadership practice of leading from the heart. Mark also shared why the heart is more than just a muscle and how leaders can balance mind and heart in their leadership. Mark C Crowley finally shared how leaders can encourage leading from the heart ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Shaara Roman. Shaara Roman is the award-winning founder and CEO of The Silverene Group and author of The Conscious Workplace: Fortify Your Culture to Thrive in Any Crisis. Shara shares stories, examples, and insights on organizational culture and how leaders can intentionally nurture an inclusive culture that can thrive through any crisis. Some Highlights: - How Shaara Roman's upbringing instilled in her a sense of curiosity,...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Warren Berger. Warren is the author of multiple books on innovation and the power of questioning in leadership and everyday life. The conversation focused on Warren Berger's books A More Beautiful Question and The Book of Beautiful Questions. Warren shared thoughts on his study of the world's foremost innovators and creative thinkers, revealing what he has learned. Warren Berger also shared his insights into the natural tendenc...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks briefly about Google's strategic challenge with OpenAI's ChatGPT and highlights upcoming conversations on AI & the future of work, as well as a conversation with a pioneer of augmented reality. The episode also includes a recent appearance by Mahan on Uwe Dockhorn's Lift-Off podcast. In the discussion, Mahan shared more about his work with CEOs and their leadership teams to collaborate more effectively and align s...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Carmine Gallo. Carmine Gallo is a three-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His books include Talk Like TED, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, The Storyteller's Secret, Five Stars, and his latest, The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World's Greatest Salesman. In the conversation, Carmine Gallo shared why many leaders struggle with telling their stories and why his latest research involved looking in...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Indira Henard, Executive Director of the DC Rape Crisis Center ( DCRCC), the oldest rape crisis center in the country. Indira Henard talks about her upbringing in Chicago, Illinois, in a family of faith. She also shares her transformative experience while at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. Indira Henard talks about the reason she came to Washington DC and eventually chose to forgo an opportunity to work in the Obama adminis...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Tamsen Webster, renowned speaker, consultant, TEDx idea strategist, and author of Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible. In the conversation, Tamsen Webster shared how leaders can communicate, so their ideas resonate more with their audience. Tamsen also gave examples of why more than having a powerful idea is needed and some of the biggest reasons others don't embrace ideas. She also talked about the value of...