Episodes

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Renee Cummings, Data Science Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia. In the conversation, Professor Renee Cummings, a criminologist and AI ethicist discusses the importance of bringing responsible, ethical thinking to deploying AI technology. She stresses the need for due process, recognizing the various forms of bias, ethical use and transparency in deployment, and good governance and oversight. Renee Cummings als...

In this insightful episode of Partnering Leadership , Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Tricia Brouk, an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and leadership communication strategist. Tricia is the author of The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for Lasting Legacy , a powerful book that explores how leaders can use their voices to connect, inspire, and leave a meaningful impact. Drawing from her background as a professional dancer, choreographer, and director, Tricia shares how her experien...

In this engaging episode of Partnering Leadership , Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Jeff Gothelf, a globally recognized author, speaker, and coach known for his expertise in organizational agility, product design, and customer-centricity. Jeff is the co-author of the insightful book Who Does What By How Much? A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs . Drawing on decades of experience and collaboration with leading organizations, Jeff shares practical strategies to help leaders implement Objectives...

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli interviews Daniel Burrus, a world-renowned futurist, strategist, and author of The Anticipatory Organization: Turn Disruption and Change into Opportunity and Advantage. In the conversation, Daniel Burrus shares his powerful framework for anticipating the future and shaping strategies accordingly, emphasizing the importance of identifying hard and soft trends to gain certainty in an uncertain world. Throughout the conversation, ...

In this compelling episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Misha Glouberman, a celebrated expert in communication and collaboration, to explore the vital role of effective communication in leadership. Misha, author of The Chairs Are Where the People Go , draws on years of experience helping organizations improve team dynamics, resolve conflicts, and foster trust. His refreshing insights challenge traditional notions of leadership and offer a more human-centric approach to...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Rob Sadow, the co-founder and CEO of Scoop and the mastermind behind The Flex Index. As a leading expert on the future of work, Rob shares his invaluable insights on navigating the seismic shift towards hybrid and flexible work arrangements. Drawing from his extensive experience and data-driven approach, Rob goes into the challenges and opportunities that come with this transformative change in the workplace. Throughout the ...

In this thought-provoking episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Shailendra Pratap Jain and Shalini Sarin Jain, co-authors of the book Managing Brand Transgressions: 8 Principles to Transform Your Brand. With decades of research and leadership experience, the Jains share compelling insights into how organizations can navigate brand crises with integrity and build resilience for the long term. The conversation dives deep into the principles that distinguish brands like Tylen...

In this compelling episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Allen Adamson, an influential thought leader in branding and marketing strategy and the author of the book Seeing the How: Transforming What People Do, Not Buy, to Gain Market Advantage. Adamson, whose experience spans working with major brands such as Unilever and Pepsi, brings a fresh perspective on how companies can differentiate themselves through customer experience innovation rather than relying solely on pr...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, host Mahan Tavakoli interviews philosopher, CEO, and bestselling author Brian Johnson on activating your organization's heroic potential. Having spent over half his career as a founder and business leader, Brian shares powerful insights on perseverance and excellence drawn from ancient wisdom and modern science. In the conversation, Brian offers key lessons from his newest book, "Arete: Activate Your Heroic Potential," for overcoming adversity and leadin...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with David Ross, VUCA strategist and author of Confronting the Storm: Regenerating Leadership and Hope in the Age of Uncertainty. David is a renowned expert on VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) environments and has spent his career advising organizations on how to thrive amidst complexity and disruption. With a background as an ecologist, David brings a unique perspective to leadership—one that emphasizes the interco...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Douglas Squirrel, co-author of *Agile Conversations*, a transformative book that dives deep into the art of having productive conversations in organizations. Douglas Squirrel, a seasoned technology leader and coach, shares his journey from struggling to communicate effectively with non-technical leaders to discovering frameworks that have radically changed how teams collaborate and make decisions. His passion for helping organ...

In this insightful episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli welcomes Emmanuel Daniel, global thought leader, futurist, founder of The Asian Banker, and author of The Great Transition: The Personalization of Finance is Here. Emmanuel brings a wealth of experience from decades of engaging with top financial leaders and institutions worldwide, and his expertise shines through in this engaging conversation. With a deep understanding of how technology is reshaping the financial industry, Emma...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, host Mahan Tavakoli engages in an insightful conversation with Tamsen Webster, a leading expert in strategic messaging, transformational change, and the author of Say What They Can’t Unhear: The Nine Principles of Lasting Change. Known for her innovative thinking and deep understanding of human psychology, Tamsen has spent years helping organizations and leaders communicate more effectively and drive lasting change. With her unique approach, she cuts thr...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, explore the intersection of leadership development and cutting-edge AI as Mahan Tavakoli’s 4-Step Framework to unleash a team’s full potential comes to life in an unexpected way. Instead of a traditional discussion, Mahan uses Google’s Notebook LM to transform his framework into a dynamic conversation between two AI avatars. This engaging dialogue captures key leadership principles, demonstrating how AI can turn complex ideas into accessible, compelling ...

Hal Elrod, the international bestselling author of The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life, which has been translated into 37 languages and has sold over 2.5 million copies, brings his unique perspectives on establishing daily practices that foster personal growth and leadership excellence based on his recently updated and expanded edition of The Miracle Morning. Drawing on personal experiences overcoming adversity, including life-threatening events, Hal ...

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, host Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Andre Laplume, co-author of Spinout Ventures: Transitioning from Employees to Entrepreneurs. Andre Laplume shares his research and perspectives on the dynamic world of spinouts—those entrepreneurial ventures born out of larger organizations when employees break away to pursue ideas that don’t quite fit within the corporate mold. From his own journey as a management consultant and professor to his experiences i...

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Stephen Wunker, the renowned author of The Innovative Leader: Step-By-Step Lessons from Top Innovators For You and Your Organization. Drawing from his extensive experience in innovation consulting and his collaboration with thought leaders like Clay Christensen, Steve shares practical insights on how organizations can cultivate a culture of innovation, build frameworks that suppo...

In this insightful episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Anu Gupta, a lawyer, social scientist, and author of the groundbreaking book, Breaking Bias: Where Stereotypes and Prejudices Come From and the Science-Backed Method to Unravel Them. Anu shares his deeply personal journey from growing up in India to navigating bias and discrimination as an immigrant in the U.S., revealing how these experiences shaped his understanding of bias and motivated him to write his book. His ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, host Mahan Tavakoli engages in a dynamic conversation with Jan Rutherford, a seasoned leadership expert and author of Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How Grit and Disciplined Duty Forge Indomitable Teams. With a rich background that includes serving as a Green Beret, leading Crucible expeditions, and coaching executives, Jan brings a unique perspective on leadership that combines military rigor with a deep understanding of human behavior. Jan shares comp...

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 lookin...

In this insightful episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli engages in a deep and inspiring conversation with Simon T. Bailey, a renowned speaker, leadership expert, and author of Resilience@Work: How to Coach Yourself Into a Thriving Future. Simon is best known for his work on personal and professional brilliance, with a focus on resilience—key themes that he passionately explores in his latest book. Throughout the discussion, Simon shares profound lessons from his experienc...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Park Howell, host of Business of Story Podcast, author of Brand Bewitchery , and co-author of The Narrative Gym for Business . Park Howell teaches one of the most powerful tools in storytelling: the And, But, and Therefore (ABT), going through the science behind it and how you can start crafting great stories and communicate more powerfully through the use of this framework. He also shares examples of ABT in history and pop cul...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Eduardo Briceño, author of The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action. In the discussion, Eduardo dives into the transformative power of a growth mindset and how we can apply it to unlock our potential. He shares how a crippling physical injury early in his career led him to Carol Dweck's pioneering work on a growth mindset. This proved life-changing for Eduardo, setting him on a path to teaching indivi...

Middle managers often get a bad rap, seen as roadblocks to change and innovation. But Emily Field flips this narrative on its head. As a McKinsey partner, Emily saw firsthand how empowering middle managers unlocks an organization’s potential. In this insightful interview, Emily Field, McKinsey & Company partner and coauthor of Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work, debunks the middle manager myth. Hear why managers, not senior execs, hold the keys to the future of...