Best Ed Les Podcasts (2026)

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429 Why Self-Awareness Is a CEO’s Real Competitive Edge: Lessons from Les Csorba, Author of Aware 32:19

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8h ago32:19

32:19

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Les Csorba — senior partner at Heidrick & Struggles and author of Aware: The Power of Seeing Yourself Clearly. Drawing on decades advising CEOs, boards, and leadership teams, Les makes a compelling case that self-awareness is not a soft skill but a strategic differentiator. With l…

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428 Thursday Refresh: Dr. Bernard Harris, Embracing Infinite Possibilities 42:48

6d ago42:48

42:48

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dr. Bernard Harris, a leader whose extraordinary career trajectory—from physician to NASA astronaut to CEO and venture capitalist—offers rare insights into the inner work of leadership. Dr. Harris is the first African American to walk in space, and the author of Embracing Infinite…

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How to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones | James Clear 2:17:26

11d ago2:17:26

2:17:26

James Clear is the author of Atomic Habits, a global bestseller that has shaped how millions of people think about habits, consistency, and long-term change. In this conversation, James explains how habits shape identity, why progress often stays invisible before it compounds, and how to design your environment so good behavior becomes the default.…

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The Outlier Playbook: The Patterns Behind Enduring Success 40:36

13d ago40:36

40:36

What do some of the greatest outliers in business history have in common? For the past year, I’ve been sharing the stories of history's greatest outliers like James Dyson, Estée Lauder, Sol Price, Henry Singleton, Les Schwab, Rose Blumkin, Jim Clayton, and Andrew Mellon. These are names that deserve to be studied, but rarely are. This episode explo…

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427 [BEST OF] David Ross on Confronting the Storm - Leadership, Hope, and Navigating Wicked Problems in the Age of Uncertainty 40:46

7d ago40:46

40:46

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 thriv…

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Pierre Poilievre on the Role of Government, Freedom, and Affordability 56:40

16d ago56:40

56:40

This week, we're releasing a special episode of TKP with Pierre Poilievre. While we don't often tackle politics on the show, we are trying to improve political discourse by offering a platform for both sides to speak with depth and nuance. This episode covers the economy, media, free speech, immigration, corporate subsidies, and more. (And before y…

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Be Your Best in 2026: The Most Important Lessons from The Knowledge Project (2025) 1:10:45

14d ago1:10:45

1:10:45

The Knowledge Project closes 2025 with a look back at the most meaningful conversations of the year. Featuring insights from some of our most impactful episodes, this collection brings together practical insights on decision-making, leadership, preparation, relationships, trust, and performance. This episode features insights from world-class inves…

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426 [BEST OF] Mark Schaefer on How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World 51:20

14d ago51:20

51:20

In this compelling episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mark Schaefer returns to share fresh, provocative insights from his latest book, Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World. A globally respected marketing strategist, bestselling author, and deep observer of technological change, Schaefer brings sharp clarity to a pressing le…

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425 How to Build a Culture of Innovation That Actually Works with Alan Gregerman 50:32

21d ago50:32

50:32

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Alan Gregerman, innovation advisor and author of The Wisdom of Ignorance: Why Not Knowing Can Be the Key to Innovation in an Uncertain World. Gregerman has spent his career helping organizations rethink what expertise is, how innovation really happens, and why the answers leaders…

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Bernie Marcus: The Home Depot Story [Outliers] 1:00:47

27d ago1:00:47

1:00:47

Bernie Marcus is the co-founder and former CEO of Home Depot. This is how he built a culture of ownership, kept going when everyone turned him down, nearly lost it all, and created one of the most successful retailers in history. ----- Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:00) Part 1: An Accidental Miracle (09:29) Part 2: A Golden Horses…

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How to Think Like a World-Class Marketer | Rory Sutherland 2:01:07

28d ago2:01:07

2:01:07

Ogilvy Vice Chairman Rory Sutherland reveals the formula for persuasion, why people make decisions and how you can use psychology to your advantage. Rory is the world’s leading advertising strategist. He spent almost four decades as Ogilvy studying why people behave the way they do and how to change that behavior. He explains why contrast drives ch…

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424 Quick Leadership in a Distracted World: Trust, Power, and the New Rules of Leading Teams with Selena Rezvani 44:05

28d ago44:05

44:05

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Selena Rezvani invites leaders to rethink some of the most deeply ingrained assumptions about modern management. Drawing from her new book Quick Leadership and years of work with top-performing organizations, Selena challenges CEOs and senior leaders to examine the hidden forces shaping their teams’ behavio…

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423 Thursday Refresh: Andrea Sampson on The Power of Strategic Storytelling in Leadership: Making Your Messages Memorable 49:23

1M ago49:23

49:23

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli hosts Andrea Sampson, an expert in strategic storytelling and the co-founder of Talk Boutique. Andrea Sampson talks about the fascinating intersection of brain science and storytelling, emphasizing why humans are hardwired to respond to stories. As an experienced speaker's coach for TEDx Toro…

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267: Dontá L. Wilson: Smart Habits That Build A Greater Financial Future 1:02:37

1M ago1:02:37

1:02:37

In this episode, Dr. Willie Jolley sits down with Dontá L. Wilson, Chief Consumer and Small Business Banking Officer at Truist. Wilson shares leadership principles, healthy financial habits, personal growth, and how service to others shapes lasting success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Mary Kay Ash: The Greatest Salesperson In History [Outliers] 1:03:41

1M ago1:03:41

1:03:41

How do you get ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results? Mary Kay Ash built a two-billion-dollar company by solving that specific problem. After watching men she trained get promoted above her for double the salary, she quit to build a company based on a radical idea: meritocracy. This episode breaks down how she did it. You’ll learn her tw…

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422 How AI Is Reshaping the Knowledge Economy, And What Leaders Need to Do Now with Sangeet Paul Choudary 55:09

1M ago55:09

55:09

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Sangeet Paul Choudary, one of the world’s leading thinkers on digital strategy, platforms, and the future of value creation. Sangeet is the author of the acclaimed new book Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Transforms the Knowledge Economy, a work that reframes how leaders must think…

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266: Steve Spangler: Engage, Connect, and Succeed 1:15:49

1M ago1:15:49

1:15:49

In this episode, Dr. Willie Jolley sits down with Steve Spangler, Emmy-winning TV personality, bestselling author, and renowned STEM educator. Steve opens up about his journey from classroom experiments to global influence, and how leaders can use creativity to connect, communicate, and inspire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/…

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7 Principles of Inner Excellence to Stay Calm Under Fire | Jim Murphy 1:17:32

2M ago1:17:32

1:17:32

Top Performance Coach Jim Murphy reveals how to eliminate fear, master pressure, and unlock elite performance. Jim spent 5 years writing Inner Excellence, the mental toughness manual that shot from obscurity to #1 New York Times bestseller overnight when star athlete A.J. Brown was caught reading it on the sidelines of a NFL playoff game. A persona…

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421 [BEST OF] Why Strategy Fails Without the Right Board: Didier Cossin on High Performance Boards & Decision-Making at the Top 47:32

1M ago47:32

47:32

What if the greatest risk to your organization isn't economic uncertainty, market volatility, or disruptive technology—but the decisions being made in your own boardroom? In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Didier Cossin, IMD professor and global expert in board governance, whose book High Performance Boards has bec…

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265: Bill Cates: Are You Keeping Yourself From Wealth? 1:02:37

2M ago1:02:37

1:02:37

In this episode, Dr. Willie Jolley sits down with Hall of Fame Speaker, author and Referral Coach, Bill Cates. Cates discusses his new book, The Hidden Heist: Stop Robbing Yourself of Lasting Wealth. Learn how to stop robbing yourself of the wealth and success you deserve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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420 Why Every Leader Needs to Rethink Innovation with Rich Braden and Tessa Forshaw 1:01:22

2M ago1:01:22

1:01:22

What if creativity isn’t a gift possessed by a few—but a skill every leader already has? In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Tessa Forshaw and Rich Braden, co-authors of Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World. Drawing from their work at Stanford and Harvard…

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Charlie Munger: The Psychology of Human Misjudgment [Outliers] 1:13:38

2M ago1:13:38

1:13:38

Charlie Munger spent his life studying one question: why do smart people make bad decisions? In his legendary talk The Psychology of Human Misjudgement, Munger outlined 25 psychological tendencies that quietly distort how we think. From incentives and social proof to denial, envy, and authority bias, you’ll learn how these hidden tendencies shape b…

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Panera Founder Ron Shaich 1:43:44

2M ago1:43:44

1:43:44

Restauranteur Ron Shaich reveals how he built the fast casual industry, scale a business, and spot the trends before they happen. Ron Shaich is an entrepreneur and investor. He was the founder and former CEO of Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, generating 25% annualized returns and helping define the fast casual restaurant segment. Now he's the chairma…

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419 Riding the Tsunami of Change: How Leaders Can Thrive in an Exponential World with Dr. Mark van Rijmenam 41:23

2M ago41:23

41:23

In this thought-provoking episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with futurist and strategist Dr. Mark van Rijmenam to explore how leaders can thrive in an era defined by exponential change. Known for his sharp insights into emerging technologies and their impact on society, van Rijmenam shares a grounded yet urgent view of the …

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264: Warren Thompson: The Power of Hard Work and Smart Faith 1:02:43

2M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

In this episode, Dr. Willie Jolley sits down with Warren Thompson, the visionary behind Thompson Hospitality. Thompson shares his journey from setbacks to success – and how faith, focus, and hard work built his legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Dr. Willie Jolley & C-Suite Radio

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418 Thursday Refresh: Lior Arussy on Reauthoring Leadership: Take Charge of Your Story, Navigate Change, and Empower Transformation 52:28

2M ago52:28

52:28

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli engages in a powerful conversation with Lior Arussy, renowned author, speaker, and expert in organizational transformation and customer experience. Lior is the author of the thought-provoking book Dare to Author: Take Charge of the Narrative of Your Life. In this episode, he brings his compel…

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Steve Wozniak: The Engineer Who Built Apple [Outliers] 56:06

2M ago56:06

56:06

Steve Wozniak is the engineer who built Apple. Then he did something Silicon Valley still doesn't understand: he gave millions of his own money away to early employees, walked away from power, and refused to play the game everyone else was playing. While HP rejected his design and competitors built walled gardens, Wozniak's philosophy of open archi…

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417 From Silos to Shared Strength: Relationships That Multiply Result with Jim Ferrell 48:56

2M ago48:56

48:56

What if the greatest leadership blind spot isn’t about people at all, but about the space between them? In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Jim Ferrell, renowned leadership thinker and author of You and We: The Relational Rethinking of Work, Life, and Leadership. Known for co-authoring the international bestseller L…

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Forensic Account: The Bubble No One is Talking About | Anthony Scilipoti 1:34:47

3M ago1:34:47

1:34:47

Anthony Scilipoti is one of the sharpest minds in investing. He's the President and CEO of Veritas Group of Companies. He called the collapses of both Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Nortel before they happened, and now he has some thoughts on AI. We talk about asking better questions, reading the fine print, the role of short selling, and what it mean…

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416 Beyond the Hype: How Data, Skills, and Humanity Drive AI’s Real Impact with Benjamin Tasker 29:15

2M ago29:15

29:15

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Benjamin Tasker, an AI learning strategist who has applied artificial intelligence to solve real-world challenges in healthcare and education. From predicting cancer risks in rural communities to improving student success rates through early intervention, Tasker has firsthand exp…

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263: Linda Swindling: Mastering the Art of Negotiation 1:02:16

2M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

In this episode, Dr. Willie Jolley sits down with Hall of Fame speaker and negotiation expert Linda Swindling. Ranked among the Top 15 Negotiators in the World, Linda shares powerful insights on how to ask boldly, negotiate confidently, and turn conversations into opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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262: Lessons of Legends (Pt. 2) 1:02:37

3M ago1:02:37

1:02:37

In this episode, Dr. Willie Jolley continues to take a look back at 20 years of interviews with some of the brightest minds in business, leadership, and success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Dr. Willie Jolley & C-Suite Radio

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Jim Clayton: Turning Competitors’ Mistakes Into $1.7B [Outliers] 1:04:50

3M ago1:04:50

1:04:50

The incredible story of Jim Clayton and the counterintuitive strategies he used to build Clayton Homes into a juggernaut. When the bank forced him into bankruptcy at 27, they literally seized everything, including his accountant’s calculator. He started over and rebuilt following an unconventional playbook. He refused bad loans, vertically integrat…

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415 Leading Through Super Shifts: Thriving in the Age of Intelligence with Ja-Nae Duane & Steve Fisher 37:27

3M ago37:27

37:27

What happens when the playbook for leadership no longer applies? In this thought-provoking conversation, Mahan Tavakoli is joined by futurist Steve Fisher and behavioral scientist Ja-Nae Duane, co-authors of Super Shifts: Transforming How We Live, Learn, and Work in the Age of Intelligence. With decades of experience in executive foresight, systems…

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261: Lessons of Legends (Pt. 1) 1:02:37

3M ago1:02:37

1:02:37

In this episode, Dr. Willie Jolley takes a look back at 20 years of interviews with some of the brightest minds in business, leadership, and success. Wisdom from the world’s best—wrapped in two unforgettable episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Dr. Willie Jolley & C-Suite Radio

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414 The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform the Rest with Vanessa Druskat 43:30

3M ago43:30

43:30

Most executives still chase superstar hires, assuming great individuals will automatically form great teams. In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Dr. Vanessa Druskat brings research depth and field-tested experience to make a different case. She is the author of The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform …

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Building Great Businesses | Tracy Britt Cool 1:44:51

3M ago1:44:51

1:44:51

Warren Buffett called Tracy Britt Cool his “fireman” due to her reputation at Berkshire Hathaway for turning around struggling businesses. Today, Britt Cool is the co-founder of Kanbrick, where she applies her knowledge to the middle market. In this episode, you’ll learn how she went from writing a cold letter to Buffett to being sent in to fix str…