Best Daniel Stillman Podcasts (2025)

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Daniel Stillman: The Architecture of Conversations and Why Every Interface Shapes What We Say 1:18:27

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12d ago1:18:27

1:18:27

Daniel Stillman, author of Good Talk: How to Design Conversations That Matter, reveals how conversations are designed—whether we realize it or not. Drawing from his background in design thinking and facilitation, Daniel breaks down the components of conversational architecture: openings, turns, power dynamics, and interfaces. He explains why physic…

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Ethan Kross: Mastering Your Inner Voice Before It Masters You 55:06

10m ago55:06

55:06

Psychologist and bestselling author Ethan Kross breaks down the science of *chatter*—the internal voice that can either empower or paralyze us. Drawing on decades of research in neuroscience and emotion regulation, Kross explains how introspection, while powerful, can often backfire, leading to rumination, anxiety, and impaired performance.In this …

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Cal Newport: Cognitive Athleticism and Why Elite Performers Protect Their Attention 1:06:33

10m ago1:06:33

1:06:33

Computer science professor and bestselling author Cal Newport explains why cognitive fitness matters as much as physical fitness for elite performance. Drawing from his work with NBA teams and hedge fund managers, Newport breaks down the connection between attention control and exceptional achievement. He challenges the myth that social media grows…

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Eric Barker: The Science of Relationships and Why Playing Well with Others Matters More Than You Think 1:21:50

3d ago1:21:50

1:21:50

Eric Barker, bestselling author of Barking Up the Wrong Tree and Plays Well with Others, reveals what decades of social science research says about relationships, friendship, love, and meaning. From his journey through Hollywood screenwriting to the video game industry to running one of the most-read personal development blogs, Eric explains his ob…

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Dylan Beynon: Building Mindbloom and the Science of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy 54:09

6m ago54:09

54:09

Dylan Beynon, founder of Mindbloom, shares the deeply personal story behind building the first at-home ketamine therapy platform. After losing his mother and sister to severe mental illness, Dylan became determined to bring psychedelic medicine into mainstream healthcare. He explains the neuroscience of how ketamine creates neuroplasticity—allowing…

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Brea Starmer: Redefining Work Around Highest and Best Use, Not Hours Logged 45:18

6m ago45:18

45:18

Brea Starmer, founder of Lions and Tigers, challenges the outdated workplace model that measures face time over impact. Drawing from her experience as a mother of three running a company during COVID-19, she introduces the concept of "highest and best use"—a real estate framework adapted to human potential that prioritizes outcomes over hours logge…

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Douglass Vigliotti: Wrestling with Conviction and Why Creative Work Demands Uncomfortable Honesty 57:05

2h ago57:05

57:05

Douglass Vigliotti, author and creative, explores the tension between doubt and conviction that defines the creative process. Drawing from his parents, his father relentless drive and his mother empathy, Douglass reflects on what it means to pursue creative work when society constantly asks if you want more. This conversation examines the uncomfort…

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238: Do I Need A Life Plan 33:02

7d ago33:02

33:02

Are you borrowing someone else's life plan? We often set goals or make decisions based on the path we think we should be on without giving much thought to what we truly want out of life. We see others doing certain things or achieving admirable goals and think we should be doing the same. But, what if we don't actually want to do those things? Our …

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Donny Jackson: The Internalized Stains of Slavery and Why Empathy Cannot Develop Without Interaction Across Racial Lines 51:58

6d ago51:58

51:58

Donny Jackson, poet and psychologist, reflects on growing up as a working-class black kid in Pittsburgh where his father was a postal worker for 35 years and his mother was a nurse's aide—parents who instilled work ethic, integrity, and honor while navigating a world not built for young black children. Jackson traces the roots of American racism to…

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Bjorn Ryan-Gorman: Coming Out as Gay in the Snowboarding World and Reclaiming Masculinity on Your Own Terms 45:23

7m ago45:23

45:23

Bjorn Ryan-Gorman, professional snowskater and LGBTQ+ advocate, shares his journey from hiding his sexuality behind aggressive board sports to building a life of authenticity in Portland. Growing up in Montana as a sponsored snow athlete, Ryan-Gorman used snowboarding and skateboarding as outlets for self-hatred and denial, pushing himself to dange…

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How EarthQuaker Devices Changed the World of Effects Pedals (Jamie Stillman, Founder) 1:00:51

5d ago1:00:51

1:00:51

Welcome to Products of Music, where you will hear inside stories and expert insights on product innovation in music technology. In this episode: In this episode host Adam Wakeling speaks with Jamie Stillman, Founder of EarthQuaker Devices about the impact of tariffs on small US businesses; why Jamie is not concerned about the current generation of …

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David Epstein: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World 51:45

15m ago51:45

51:45

David Epstein, author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, dismantles the myth that early specialization is the only path to excellence. Drawing from research on elite athletes, musicians, and scientists, David reveals how individual variability in learning means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to skill development. He r…

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Ayelet Fishbach: The Science of Motivation, Why Fantasies Fail, and Balancing Abstract Goals with Concrete Plans 1:07:21

12d ago1:07:21

1:07:21

Ayelet Fishbach, motivation researcher at University of Chicago, dismantles the fantasy-driven approach to New Year's resolutions and goal-setting. Drawing from data spanning multiple years, she reveals that while temporal landmarks like New Year work for initiating goals, only 20% of people still pursue them by November—the difference comes down t…

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Dandapani: Mastering Your Mind as an Operating System, Sexual Energy Transmutation, and the Monastic Path to Unwavering Focus 1:07:07

38m ago1:07:07

1:07:07

Dandapani, former Hindu monk who lived monastically for 10 years, shares teachings from his guru on treating the mind as an operating system that must be understood before it can be mastered. He explains the critical distinction between a focused life (giving undivided attention to whoever/whatever you're engaged with) and a purpose-focused life (w…

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237: The Inspiration Paradox 32:34

14d ago32:34

32:34

Inspiration can be found anywhere and, if you're Eric, that can even include a skeleton in your front yard. A lot of us believe we're supposed to feel thrilled, excited, energized, and inspired by our work. While it would be great if that were true all the time, we tend to panic in the moments when it feels like our inspiration in our work is dryin…

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Cal Newport: Slow Productivity, Escaping Pseudo Productivity, and the Three Principles for Sustainable Knowledge Work 1:40:53

14m ago1:40:53

1:40:53

Cal Newport unpacks his framework for Slow Productivity, built on three core principles: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and obsessing over quality. He introduces "pseudo productivity"—the toxic heuristic that emerged in mid-20th century knowledge work when visible activity became a proxy for useful effort because traditional product…

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Alan Stein Jr: The Performance Gap Between Knowing and Doing, and What Elite Athletes Teach Us About Execution 1:05:31

15m ago1:05:31

1:05:31

Alan Stein Jr, former basketball performance coach to Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, and other NBA superstars, reveals why knowledge without execution is worthless and how the world's highest performers bridge the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Drawing from decades working with elite athletes, Stein explains that performance gaps…

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Christy Tennery-Spalding: Building Political Homes and Redefining Self-Care Beyond Capitalism 48:12

12d ago48:12

48:12

Christy Tennery-Spalding, activist and organizer, shares how growing up near Washington D.C. shaped her oppositional stance to power structures and led her to find a “political home” in San Francisco’s activist community. She introduces the concept of informed consent in organizing—ensuring participants feel safe, informed, and empowered rather tha…

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Andrew Yang: Universal Basic Income and the Automation Crisis Remaking America 44:31

18d ago44:31

44:31

Andrew Yang traces his path from failed entrepreneur to 2020 presidential candidate driven by a single realization: automation has already destroyed millions of American jobs, and the next wave will be exponentially worse. Through his work with Venture for America, he witnessed firsthand the economic devastation in Detroit, Ohio, and the Midwest—wh…

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Chris Fussell: Systems, Mindset, and Leading at the Edge 56:27

7d ago56:27

56:27

Former Navy SEAL and leadership strategist Chris Fussell reveals how elite teams operate under pressure—and how those principles can be applied far beyond the battlefield. Drawing from years of operational experience and his work with General Stanley McChrystal, Fussell explains how systems thinking, decentralized decision-making, and shared consci…

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Andrew Bustamante: Inside the Mind of a Spy — Tradecraft, Trust, and the Cost of Secrecy 1:10:20

1d ago1:10:20

1:10:20

Former CIA field operative Andrew Bustamante pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to recruit spies, run intelligence operations, and navigate a life built on secrecy, loyalty, and manipulation. In this riveting and wide-ranging conversation, Bustamante shares stories from his military training at the Air Force Academy, his time at “The Fa…

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Carlos Adell: From Drug Dealer to Industrial Engineer to Finding True Success Through Strategic Environment Design 52:37

20d ago52:37

52:37

Carlos Adell shares his unconventional path from growing up in a small Spanish town with limited resources to running a six-figure drug dealing business while simultaneously working as a DJ and industrial engineer. After nearly dying from a heart attack at 29 while working in corporate, Adell discovered that he had been living other people’s dreams…

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236: Can I Recover From A Big Mistake 32:06

20d ago32:06

32:06

Not a single one of us hasn't made a mistake in the workplace. We've said the wrong thing to the wrong person. We've delayed something inadvertently, and it had big consequences for our team. Knowing these mistakes won't be our last, we thought it would be a good idea to explore how we can handle the tension between acknowledging our humanity and t…

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Alison Shcraeger: The Economics of Risk and What a Las Vegas Brothel Taught Me About Uncertainty 45:46

24d ago45:46

45:46

Alison Shcraeger, economist and author of An Economist Walks Into a Brothel, explains how risk really works and why most people misunderstand it. From studying sex workers in Nevada to analyzing probability theory, Alison reveals that humans are not naturally wired to process probabilities—but we can learn. She introduces the concept of natural fre…

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John Epstein: Testing Acast Sync and Update Functionality 51:45

12d ago51:45

51:45

This is a test episode to verify that our Acast sync system works correctly. We will upload this episode with a far-future publish date, then update the midroll timestamp to confirm that the PATCH endpoint successfully syncs changes from our local index to Acast without re-uploading the audio file. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in…

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Akshay Nanavati: Finding Bliss Through Suffering, Silence, and the Edge of Human Endurance 49:36

24d ago49:36

49:36

Akshay Nanavati is not your typical adventurer — he’s a former Marine, a survivor of war-induced PTSD, and a seeker of what he calls the “crucible of suffering.” In this deeply introspective and intensely raw conversation, Akshay explores how pain, guilt, and darkness became vehicles for transcendence in his life. From confronting suicidal despair …

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235: The Conversations We Have With Ourselves 31:01

27d ago31:01

31:01

For eight weeks now, we've been offering perspectives on using the tool we have of how we talk to each other at work as a way of paying more attention and making more deliberate choices to drive the kinds of results and relationships we want to have. Now that we've reached the final installment of our series on conversations that count, we've reali…

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David Brooks: Seeing People Deeply in a World of Shallow Interactions 56:45

1M ago56:45

56:45

New York Times columnist and bestselling author **David Brooks** joins Srini Rao to unpack what it really means to know and see another person — and how our ability to connect deeply has deteriorated in a world dominated by distraction, paradigmatic thinking, and judgment. Drawing from his latest book *How to Know a Person*, Brooks explores emotion…

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234: Why It's Hard to Ask for What You Need 32:46

1M ago32:46

32:46

Why is it so difficult to ask for something you want or need at work? In this continuation of our series on conversations that count, we're talking about a conversation that's actually not happening. When we ask our clients to plan ahead for our coaching conversations, this topic is probably one of the top three that comes up. So, let's dive into w…

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Damon Centola: Why Change Spreads from the Edges—Not the Influencers 56:51

17d ago56:51

56:51

Damon Centola, sociologist and author of *Change: How to Make Big Things Happen*, dismantles the myth of the influencer and introduces a radically different model of how ideas and behaviors actually spread. In this thought-provoking conversation, Centola explains why change doesn’t come from social media stars with massive followings—but from dense…

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Jennifer Wallace: Raising Resilient Kids in a Culture That Says They're Never Enough 51:53

1M ago51:53

51:53

Jennifer Wallace is a journalist, researcher, and mother of three who set out to answer one of the most pressing questions in modern parenting: *Why do our kids feel like they're never enough — and what can we do about it?* Drawing on insights from her book *Never Enough* and years of reporting, Wallace explains how achievement culture, status anxi…

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Laura Huang: Creating an Edge in a World That Won’t Hand You One 1:05:42

1M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

In this powerful and perspective-shifting episode, Harvard Business School professor and author **Laura Huang** shares a deeply human and practical roadmap for transforming disadvantage into advantage. Drawing from her book *Edge*, she breaks down the four-part EDGE framework—Enrich, Delight, Guide, and Effort—showing how each of us can flip bias, …

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Emily Fletcher: The Science and Simplicity of Unlocking Human Potential Through Meditation 46:52

25d ago46:52

46:52

Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation and a former Broadway performer, shares how her journey from the stage to spiritual leadership reshaped her understanding of success, fulfillment, and mental resilience. In this candid and practical conversation, Emily explains the science behind stress, its impact on performance, and how meditation can tr…

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The Chase Bliss Way: Emotion, Design and the Future of Pedals (Joel Korte, Founder) 1:07:55

23d ago1:07:55

1:07:55

Welcome to Products of Music, where you will hear inside stories and expert insights on product innovation in music technology. In this episode: Host Adam Wakeling speaks with Joel Korte, founder of Chase Bliss, about his founder journey, the 'chase bliss way' of product development, as well as his successes, failures and market insights. Watch on …

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233: Pecans, Peaches, and Performance 33:51

1M ago33:51

33:51

If you have to tell someone who works for you that they're underperforming, do you know how to make that conversation impactful and useful? If you're unsure, this next installment of our series on conversations that count is sure to provide you with some clarity. Tune in as we focus on this messy, but necessary, topic of conversation that shouldn't…

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232: Speaking Up with Tara Traeder 37:08

2M ago37:08

37:08

In the latest installment of our series on conversations that count, we're talking about talking. Tara Traeder holds a Ph.D. in Communication Arts & Sciences with an emphasis in health communication from Penn State University and a master's degree in Health Communication from Emerson College. She has nearly 20 years' experience in communication con…

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Courtney Harding: Building the Future of Human Connection Through XR, Education, and Digital Agency 50:29

1M ago50:29

50:29

Courtney Harding, founder of Friends with Holograms and a leading voice in spatial computing, joins Srini to discuss the real-world applications and philosophical implications of immersive technologies like VR and AR. Drawing from her background in music journalism, activism, and public policy, she unpacks how virtual experiences are reshaping educ…

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Daniel Lieberman: Dopamine, Desire, and Why Enough is Never Enough 51:43

2M ago51:43

51:43

In this mind-expanding conversation, psychiatrist and author Daniel Lieberman unpacks the role of dopamine — the brain's molecule of motivation — and how it shapes nearly every aspect of our lives, from love and ambition to addiction and impulsive behavior. Drawing from his bestselling book *The Molecule of More*, Lieberman explains why we’re wired…

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Annie Duke: Why Knowing When to Quit Is a Superpower 1:10:48

2M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

In this powerful third appearance, bestselling author and decision strategist Annie Duke dismantles the myth that grit is always good — and makes the case for why strategic quitting is essential for success. Drawing from cognitive science, personal experience, and examples like Muhammad Ali, Dave Chappelle, and Stuart Butterfield (Slack), Duke illu…

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231: Can we talk about my future, please! 36:25

2M ago36:25

36:25

In this continuation of our series on conversations that matter, we're digging into what is probably the most requested topic from our clients and listeners. Most employees feel like they're not having great conversations about career development in the workplace. Leaders often feel they're not doing a good enough job leading these conversations. S…

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The Science of Mastery: Anders Ericsson on Deliberate Practice 45:52

1M ago45:52

45:52

Psychologist Anders Ericsson, the originator of the concept of deliberate practice, shares the foundational principles behind how experts are made—not born. Drawing on decades of empirical research, he explains how world-class performance emerges through structured effort, targeted feedback, and the development of mental models over time.Ericsson c…

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230: Meetings That Matter with Daniel Stillman 41:10

2M ago41:10

41:10

Everything we're doing on the podcast this season impacts the way that we talk and listen to one another at work. If we think about the days in which we worked on larger teams ourselves, or even the teams we've come to visit as coaches, a lot of those conversations take place in meetings. Despite the fact that we know deep down that meetings can be…

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The Operating System of Transformation: Salim Ismail on Exponential Thinking, Leadership, and Inner Engineering 57:33

2M ago57:33

57:33

In this episode, Salim Ismail — founding executive director of Singularity University and author of *Exponential Organizations* — maps out what it takes to adapt, lead, and build in a world defined by accelerating change.He unpacks the frameworks behind exponential growth, the future of learning, and the architecture of modern organizations. But th…

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Dennis Xu: Designing Tools That Think Like We Do 47:01

2M ago47:01

47:01

Dennis Xu, co-founder of Mem, unpacks the future of personal knowledge and how it’s being reshaped by networked thinking, cognitive design, and human-centered AI. Drawing on his Stanford background, founder journey, and product philosophy, Dennis challenges the folder-based paradigms of information management — replacing them with malleable, graph-…

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The Science of Focus: Gloria Mark on Attention Rhythms, Flow Myths, and Digital Control 52:12

2M ago52:12

52:12

Cognitive scientist Gloria Mark explains why modern knowledge work sabotages attention — and how to fight back. Drawing from her decades of research, she breaks down internal vs. external distraction, meta-awareness, cognitive rhythms, and the misunderstood nature of flow states. This episode delivers practical insights for reclaiming agency over y…

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229: Feedback Conversations That Count 36:12

2M ago36:12

36:12

The format of our podcast may have changed slightly, but don't worry. You'll still get your weekly dose of banter about the weather and Pearl Jam. You'll also get a deep dive into why leaders struggle to give good, actual feedback. As a manager or a leader, feedback is one of the most important levers we have. Everyone wants to know where they stan…

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Sonkhe Ahrens: Building a Thinking System That Generates Insight, Not Noise 46:13

2M ago46:13

46:13

Sonkhe Ahrens shares how traditional approaches to knowledge — highlighting, tagging, collecting — fail to support actual thinking. Drawing from Niklas Luhmann’s Zettelkasten method, Ahrens explains why insight isn’t something you plan for, but something you engineer into existence by connecting information deliberately over time. The conversation …

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The Future of Guitar Amps Looks a Lot Like the Past (Dave Friedman, Friedman Amplification) 57:51

2M ago57:51

57:51

Welcome to Products of Music, a podcast sharing inside stories and expert insights on product innovation in music technology. In this episode, host Adam Wakeling speaks with Dave Friedman, founder of Friedman Amplification, about his approach to product development at the company; the analog versus digital debate; and what the future of boutique am…

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Leading with Respect with Marcy Syms 57:07

2M ago57:07

57:07

Marcy Syms is a pioneering businesswoman and advocate for respect in leadership. She's seen leadership fads come and go. She was a CEO when people still thought "women shouldn't do that sort of thing" And she's done something many folks have never had to endure - shuttering her family's business while making her key creditors whole - an act deeply …

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228: Conversations That Count: Series Introduction 16:50

3M ago16:50

16:50

We're back, and we're not going to lie … we missed you all while we were gone. In this first episode back, we're dusting off the recording equipment, sharing our thoughts about the sabbatical we took, and explaining how we'll be shaking things up here on the podcast moving forward. Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla). Insid…