Episodes

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli welcomes Scott Mautz, a renowned leadership expert and the author of The Mentally Strong Leader: Build the Habits to Productively Regulate Your Emotions, Thoughts, and Behaviors. Scott brings decades of experience from the corporate world, including a distinguished career at Procter & Gamble, to share profound insights on what it takes to build mental strength and lead effectively, especially in challenging times. Scott's journey began in...

In this engaging episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli hosts NY Times Best Selling author and serial entrepreneur Dave Kerpen. The conversation focuses on Dave Kerpen’s most recent book, Get Over Yourself: How to Lead and Delegate Effectively for More Time, More Freedom, and More Success. In the episode, Dave Kerpen emphasizes the importance of strategic delegation, sharing personal anecdotes and practical insights that underscore how effective delegation can lead to grea...

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 compelling episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli engages in a deep and insightful conversation with Barbara Kellerman, a renowned expert in leadership, Harvard Kennedy School Professor, and a prolific author. Kellerman's latest book, Leadership from Bad to Worse: What Happens When Bad Festers, serves as the focal point of this discussion. With decades of research and a unique perspective on the dynamics of leadership, Kellerman challenges conventional wisdom and sheds light on...

In this insightful episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Robert Wolcott, a renowned expert on innovation and the co-author of Proximity: How Coming Breakthroughs in Just-in-Time Transform Business, Society, and Daily Life. In the conversation, Rob Wolcott shares his groundbreaking insights on how digital technologies are revolutionizing industries and reshaping the future of work, healthcare, and beyond. Through engaging anecdotes and thought-provoking examples, Wolcot...

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 insightful episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Tim Ringel, the visionary CEO of Meet the People, a trailblazing agency that's reshaping the advertising and marketing landscape. With a career spanning decades and continents, Tim Ringel brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing businesses in the digital age. Throughout the conversation, Tim shares his journey from a small town in Germany to the bustling st...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Cameron Herold, a seasoned entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the book The Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO. With a wealth of experience as a COO and having coached numerous companies worldwide, Cameron shares his invaluable insights on the critical role of the COO and how to create a high-performing CEO-COO dynamic. Throughout the conversation, Cameron dives deep into the complexities of the COO role and ...

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 thought-provoking episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli engages in a deep and insightful conversation with Jerry Colonna, CEO of Reboot.io and the renowned CEO coach known as the “CEO Whisperer.” Jerry Colonna is also the author of the groundbreaking books Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up and Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong. With his unique background as a successful venture capitalist turned executive coach, Jerry brings a wealth of experience and w...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Alden Mills, three-time Navy SEAL Platoon Commander and INC 500 CEO. Alden Mills is also the author of three books, the latest of which is Unstoppable Mindset: How to Use What You Have to Get What You Want. Throughout the conversation, Alden shares his insights on navigating change, fostering ownership, and cultivating a resilient mindset in both personal and professional contexts. Throughout the conversation, Alden draws u...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Jason Gulya, a higher education AI Strategist, to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and organizations. As someone who initially resisted the idea of becoming a teacher, Jason's journey is a testament to the power of adaptability and embracing change. Jason shares how his unique upbringing, with three brothers close in age, shaped his understanding of community and individual n...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with JJ (Projjal) Ghatak, a seasoned technology executive who has held key roles at companies like Uber and is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of OnLoop, a habit-forming, genAI-powered goals and feedback platform for high functioning teams. Projjal Ghatak shares his unique insights on building mission-driven cultures, fostering collaboration, and leveraging technology to empower managers and drive organizational success. Drawin...

In this engaging episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, host Mahan Tavakoli engages in an insightful conversation with Paul Daugherty, the group chief executive of technology and chief technology officer at Accenture. During the episode, Paul Daugherty emphasizes the criticality of adopting a technology-focused mindset and embracing constant reinvention and agility in the face of evolving technologies. He highlights the importance of organizations becoming learning organizations equipped ...

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David Rubenstein, co-founder & co-chairman of Carlyle Group & President of the Economic Club of Washington DC. In the conversation David Rubenstein shares his journey from working at the White House to starting one of the largest private equity investment firms globally. He also talks about his leadership lessons, philanthropy, Peer-to-Peer interviewing for the Economic Club of Washington DC and Bloomberg TV, and the legacy he ...

In this captivating episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Greg Wooldridge, the only person to have led the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy's renowned flight demonstration squadron, three times. With his unparalleled experience and unique insights, Greg Wooldridge shares valuable lessons on leadership, team dynamics, and the pursuit of excellence that is applicable not only in the cockpit but also in the boardroom. Throughout the conversation, Greg Wooldridge discusses the c...

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 episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Brad Zimmerman, a seasoned business consultant and coauthor of The Great Engagement: How CEOs Create Exceptional Cultures. With over thirty years of experience guiding businesses to success, Brad brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to the table. Throughout the conversation, Brad and Mahan delve into the critical importance of employee engagement and how leaders can effectively align individual purpose with o...

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Professor Ajay Agrawal, the Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. Ajay Agrawal is also the founder of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a not-for-profit program for early-stage, science-based companies, and coauthor of two outstanding books on Artificial Intelligence: Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics ...

This episode of Partnering Leadership features Mahan Tavakoli in an interview on the Uncommodified podcast with host Tim Windsor. They explore AI's impact on leadership in an increasingly fast-changing world. Mahan and Tim have an insightful dialogue around evolving leadership approaches for exponential times driven by technological advances like AI. They discuss the pitfalls of certainty and why leaders can no longer rely on having all the answers today to be successful. Instead, they examine...

As the pace of digital change accelerates, how should leaders guide their organizations to stay ahead of disruption? In this episode of Partnering Leadership, author John Rossman makes the case that betting big on transformation is essential, though risky. Drawing on his experience spearheading Amazon's bold expansions, Rossman argues that the coming era of "hyper-digital" will necessitate even bolder moves than we've seen. In the conversation, John Rossman lays out a playbook for leading chan...

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 leadi...

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are more vital than ever for organizations today. But how can leaders move beyond good intentions to drive real impact? In this engaging episode, inclusion strategist Risha Grant, author of Be Better than Your BS: How Radical Acceptance Empowers Authenticity and Creates a Workplace Culture of Inclusion, offers paradigm-shifting insights for leaders seeking to foster authentic belonging in their teams. Drawing on over two decades of experience guiding executives,...

What if AI could free up bandwidth, spark creativity, and boost productivity for executives and teams? Jordan Wilson, Founder of Everyday AI and host of the Everyday AI podcast, joins Mahan Tavakoli, sharing pragmatic tips so leaders can harness cutting-edge generative AI. Jordan advises an agile, sprint-based approach to rapidly experiment rather than get stuck in opaque long-term AI projects that often trigger resistance. He recommends executives audit workflows to systematically evaluate wher...