Episodes

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Cynthia Owyoung, the vice-president of inclusion, equity, and belonging at Robinhood. Cynthia is also the Founder of Breaking Glass Forums, which aims to elevate diverse talent and inclusive organizations. In addition, she has established and led diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for over 15 years as an executive at organizations in multiple industries. In this conversation, Mahan and Cynthia Owyoung speak about Cynt...

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David Gorodetski. David is the co-founder and CEO of Sage Communications. David Gorodetski shares pivotal moments that led to his co-founding of Sage Communications. David also talks about the leadership challenges caused by the pandemic and how the crisis has helped him become a better leader. Finally, David Gorodetski shares why community involvement is essential for him and its role in Sage as the organization co...

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Professor Ranjay Gulati. Ranjay Gulati's work bridges strategy, organizational design, and leadership. In this conversation, Professor Gulati, who until recently chaired Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program, spoke about principles shared in his most recent book, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. Ranjay Gulati addressed how organizations can go beyond convenient purpose ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Ernie Jarvis. Ernie is a fifth-generation Washingtonian and has established himself as a significant presence in the Greater Washington DC DMV region through his active involvement in the community and commitment to giving back. Ernie Jarvis has been a trailblazer on many fronts, including commercial real estate. In the conversation, Mahan and Ernie talk about how Ernie's heritage and upbringing have impacted his sense of respo...

In today's episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan speaks with Whitney Johnson. Whitney is the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent development company. She also co-founded Disruptive Innovation Fund with Clayton Christensen, is the host of the Disrupt Yourself podcast, and is the author of the book Smart Growth: How To Grow Your People To Grow Your Company. Whitney Johnson talked about the S-curve of personal, leadership, and organizational growth. Whitney also discussed creating ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Diane Hoskins. Diane Hoskins serves as co-CEO and chair of the board of directors for Gensler. As an MIT-trained architect and an MBA from The Anderson School at UCLA, Diane's career has touched architecture, design, real estate, and business. She has broad responsibility for running the company, which spans over 6,000+ employees across the globe. Diane Hoskins shared how her upbringing impacted her professional and leadership ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Rob Cross. Rob is the co-founder and chief research scientist at the Connected Commons business consortium. He is also the Edward A. Madden Professor of global leadership at Babson College. Rob Cross has been researching the underlying networks of influential organizations and the collaborative processes of top achievers for more than 20 years. Rob Cross shares research and examples on how the most effective organizations and e...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, 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 13 books, including Learn or Die, Humility is The New Smart, and his latest Hyper learning: How to adapt to the Speed of Change . In the conversation, Professor Ed Hess shares why we need to accelerate our pace of learning in the digital age, some of the barriers ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Actor-Comedian Maz Jobrani. In addition to his comedy specials, Maz Jobrani has appeared on many of television's most popular shows, including Grey's Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Better Off Ted, and Shameless. He is also a regular on Stephen Colbert's late show, and he starred as the title character in the award-winning indie comedy, Jimmy Vestvood, which he co-wrote and co-produced. Maz Jobrani spoke about his early days in ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli shares his thoughts and research on the importance of providing regular feedback in the work environment. Mahan shares why many leaders avoid giving feedback and how to incorporate it into frequent interactions. Finally, Mahan shares tips on how to provide better and more productive feedback. Some highlights: - The thin line between feedback and coaching - How to provide feedback rather than avoid it - The challenges with feedback in the v...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with LaTonya Wilkins. LaTonya Wilkins is the founder of The Change Coaches. She works with C-suite/executive leaders and their teams where human connection and cultural change happen: below the surface. LaTonya Wilkins is also the author of Leading Below The Surface: How To Build Real and Psychologically Safe Relationships With People Who Are Different From You . In this conversation, LaTonya shares how leaders can become more inclu...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Luanne Gutermuth. Luanne formerly serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Washington Gas. In addition to co-founding Good Spirit Farm Winery with her husband, Luanne Gutermuth serves as Chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Luanne serves on the Washington Performing Arts and Northern Virginia Family Services board of directors. Some highlights: - Luanne Gutermuth on...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Ken Blanchard and Randy Conley. Ken is the founder of the Ken Blanchard Companies and has co-authored more than 65 books on leadership, including all-time classics such as The One Minute Manager and Who Moved My Cheese, each with over 20 million copies sold. In this conversation, Ken Blanchard is joined by Randy Conley, Vice President of global professional services for the Ken Blanchard Companies. The discussion focuses on the...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Judy Samuelson. Judy Samuelson is the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program's founder and executive director. Judy Samuelson is also the author of The Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World. In this conversation, Judy shares how societal shifts have changed traditional approaches to how businesses operate, a greater need for purpose, and the role of business in society. Judy also shares what l...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Patrick McGinnis. Patrick coined the term FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and FOBO (Fear of a Better Option) while attending Harvard Business School. Patrick McGinnis is the author of two international bestsellers, including Fear of Missing Out: Practical Decision-Making in a World of Overwhelming Choice, and the host of the hit podcast FOMO Sapiens. In this conversation, Patrick McGinnis discusses why our need to be included can be...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Tien Wong. Tien is the Chairman and CEO of Opus8 - private investment and strategic advisory firm. He is also Chairman of Lore Systems, an IT services company, Chairman of tech 2000, Inc., an Edtech company. Tien Wong is also the founder and host of the Big idea CONNECTprenuer Forum, a community of over 7,000 founders, CEOs, angels, and VCs. Tien Wong is a successful entrepreneur who has founded many firms, served on the boards...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Sarah Stein Greenberg, executive director of Stanford D.school. Sarah leads a community of designers, faculty, and other innovative thinkers who help people uncover their creative potential and apply them to the world. She is also the author of Creative Acts for Curious People. In the conversation, Sarah Stein Greenberg shares ideas from the book and exercises that can bring out the creativity in any individual or team. Sarah a...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli shares his insights about the future of work, the upcoming transition of many organizations back to the office, and strategies to make hybrid work a success. Mahan also shares how leaders can think about changes experienced by their team members over the past two years as they build for a better future of work. Finally, Mahan shares four critical factors leaders need to consider in the hybrid future of work. Some highlights: - Why there is...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Azeem Azhar - writer, technology analyst, and creator of the acclaimed Exponential View newsletter. Azeem Azhar is a senior advisor to PwC and is an investor in early-stage startups in AI, renewable energy, female health tech, self-driving cars, and marketplaces. In the conversation, Azeem Azhar shared perspectives from his book The Exponential Age: How Accelerating Technology is Transforming Business, Politics, and Society. Az...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Tony Pierce. Tony Pierce is Akin Gump's Washington DC office partner in charge. He has more than three decades of experience in trial and litigation. In addition to his leadership at Akin Gump and impactful work on behalf of his clients, Tony Pierce has played a crucial leadership role in advancing business and philanthropic initiatives in the Greater Washington DC DMV region. Tony Pierce has served as past chair of the Greater...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Aaron Hurst, Co-founder, CEO of Imperative, the peer coaching platform, Founder of the Taproot Foundation, and the author of The Purpose Economy. Aaron Hurst shares why in the purpose economy value lies in connecting to employees to purpose through serving needs greater than their own, enabling personal growth, getting a greater sense of meaning, building community, and having a more significant impact. Aaron also talks about t...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Larry Robertson, innovation advisor, founder of Lighthouse Consulting, and author of three award-winning books, including his most recent, Rebel Leadership: How to Thrive in Uncertain Times . Larry Robertson shares insights from his first two books about entrepreneurship and creativity. Larry shares why he focused his third book on Leadership, specifically on leading through uncertainty. In the conversation, Larry Robertson sha...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Rich Diviney, author of The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance. Rich Diviney is a retired Navy SEAL commander with 20+ years of experience as a Navy SEAL Officer, having completed more than thirteen overseas deployments, including serving as the officer in charge of training for a specialized command. During his service, Rich Diviney was intimately involved in the highly specialized SEAL selection process and ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Nicole Lynn Lewis, founder and chief executive officer of Generation Hope. This non-profit organization provides holistic assistance to young families. Nicole Lynn Lewis shares her story as a young parent attending college, the challenges she faced, and how it served as the inspiration behind her founding of Generation Hope. Some highlights: - Nicole Lynn Lewis' childhood growing up in communities that didn't have much diversit...