Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

Guest: Jon Wortmann, Leadership Coach & Principal at Novel Communication

What makes some overloaded leaders bounce back stronger, while others burn out?

In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf talks with executive coach and resilience author Jon Wortmann about how leaders can train their brains to stay calm, clear, and focused, even in chaos.

Wortmann draws from neuroscience, mindfulness research, and real-world leadership practi...

Guest: Rens van Loon, Professor at Tilburg University

What do you do when logic and data aren’t enough? Today’s biggest leadership challenges—culture change, systemic disruption, complex decision-making—are wicked problems. They can’t be solved with old habits.

In this interview, Professor Rens van Loon, the world’s first Professor of Dialogical Leadership, explains how generative dialogue empowers leaders to navigate complexity, b...

Guest: Tonjia Coverdale, Ph.D., CEO at Lambiante

Fearless leadership doesn’t mean living without fear; it means learning to fear less.

In this episode, Dr. Tonjia Coverdale shares her seven-level framework that helps leaders align who they are with how they lead. Together with host Maureen Metcalf, she explores how to create clarity and confidence in yourself, and high-performing teams as a result.

If you’ve ever wondered how t...

Guest: John Heiser, founder/CEO of TRG

Can a business make money AND make the world better? John Heiser says yes.

John, the former president/COO of Magnetrol, shares powerful stories about transforming the manufacturing company into a true social institution. He discovered that for-profit companies really can thrive when they also embrace their role in helping their communities flourish.

Here's what John and Maureen cover:

1. Why...

Guest: Ryan Gottfredson, Ph.D., leadership researcher

Most leadership development fails because it focuses only on skills and knowledge, but real transformation happens deeper…all the way down to upgrading your mental operating system.

Professor and researcher Ryan Gottfredson explains how upgrading your inner operating system (not just adding new “apps” of skills) shifts leaders from self-protection toward value creation. Togeth...

Guest: Gama Perruci

What if leadership really isn’t about leaders anymore?

We revisit our eye-opening conversation with the late Dr. Gama Perruci — former Dean of the McDonough Leadership Center — as he challenged the “lone leader” and “hero leader” narratives we love so much. Instead, he found what works best for business is a powerful five-component leadership model: Leader, Follower, Goal, Context, and Culture.

Here's what Gam...

Guest: Susan Howe, CEO of Weber Shandwick

What does it take to lead a global organization through constant change? In this conversation, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with Susan Howe, CEO of Weber Shandwick, to explore the leadership strategies behind one of the world’s leading PR firms.

Howe offers practical strategies for executives navigating organizational transformation, AI-driven change, and the accelerating pace of busine...

Guest: Aldo Boitano

What does climbing K2 – the world’s second-highest and deadliest mountain – teach about leadership?

Pretty much everything, according to guest Aldo Boitano. The CEO, founder, consultant, and former International Leadership Association board member reveals how his mountain climbing and Antarctic expeditions taught him the most critical skills modern leaders need.

Here's what Aldo and Maureen cover:

1. How mou...

Guest: Mark Monchek

What on earth is an Unconference?

Traditional leadership models are cracking under the weight of today’s rapid change. Strategist and unconference co-creator Mark Monchek reveals why legacy leadership models—top-down authority, rigid planning, and competition-first thinking—are no longer fit for a world defined by disruption. The solution will come through the unconference: a new, intensive, and far more effec...

Guest: Michelle Harrison, Global CEO of Verian

What does it take to lead when trust is collapsing and change won’t slow down?

Based on the real-world issues faced by her clients, Dr. Harrison shares bold insights on leading through crisis, restoring public trust, and driving innovation in both government and business. She explores the role of intellectual curiosity, adaptive learning, and values-driven culture in building resilie...

Guest: Ira Chaleff

What can you do when leadership at work crosses the line into authoritarian control?

We talk about authoritarians in politics, but they’re in the business world, too…and on the rise there. In this timely and provocative episode, Maureen Metcalf interviews Ira Chaleff, author of To Stop a Tyrant and The Courageous Follower, to explore how power is exercised, and challenged, inside both governments and organizati...

Guest: Dr. Barry Johnson

If you think you have to solve problems, think again. You might be better off leveraging tensions instead!

Dr. Barry Johnson, creator of the Polarity Map®, joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore how “both/and” thinking helps leaders navigate complexity, avoid false choices, and drive sustainable performance. From clarity and flexibility to structure and innovation, Barry shares how thriving organizations—and...

Guest: Neil Sahota, United Nations AI Advisor

From internal sabotage and mistrust to ethical blind spots and cultural misalignment, this conversation dives deep into the real reasons AI transformations succeed or stall…and the solutions you need to make AI work in your company. You’ll also hear powerful examples of machine-human collaboration, the rise of AI bosses, and why trust is now a core leadership metric.

Here's what Neil an...

Guest: Neil Sahota, United Nations AI Advisor

Most AI failures aren’t caused by bad code. They’re caused by bad leadership.

In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf talks with UN AI advisor and IBM Master Inventor Neil Sahota to uncover the 5 fatal mistakes most organizations make when adopting AI. From the myth that AI is "just software" to the risk of automating bad processes, Neil explains why 4 out of 5 failures are human and le...

Guest: Sebastian Salicru, Psychologist & Author

Are we training leaders for a world that no longer exists?

Leadership expert and psychologist Sebastian Salicru joins host Maureen Metcalf to tackle one of today’s most pressing challenges: the failure of traditional leadership in a world defined by complexity and change. More importantly, they explore what today’s leaders actually need to succeed in a high-velocity world.

Here'...

Guest: Andrew Palmer, The Economist columnist & Boss Class host

What makes a great boss, and why do so many managers get it wrong? The Economist columnist and Boss Class host Andrew Palmer joins Maureen Metcalf to break down what actually works in leadership today. From radical autonomy at Supercell to intentional culture-building at Toyota, this episode explores real-world strategies for creating high-performance teams and org...

Guest: Mike Hardy, ILA Board Chair

The real leadership crisis isn’t about performance. It’s about how we handle differences.

In this powerful episode, Professor Mike Hardy, Founding Director of the Centre for Peace & Security, joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore the defining leadership challenge of our time: Pluralism vs. Prejudice.

It’s critical: even if your organization only operates in one city, odds are your team will ha...

Guest: Mike McLellan, COO, DHL Supply Chain (North America)

What does it take to keep your business humming through tariffs, tornadoes, and all the other disruptions in today’s world?

Mike McLellan of DHL shares insights on building resilience, both in your leadership and your supply chains, the importance of redundancy, and how DHL provides an example of supporting clients in navigating challenges. The discussion also touches on...

Guest: Dr. Karen Longman, Professor Emerita, Azusa Pacific University

Why do so many capable, driven women still get overlooked for top leadership roles—and what can we do about it?

In this powerful episode, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with Dr. Karen Longman, a global scholar on leadership and gender equity, to unpack the deep-rooted biases that shape how we define (and reward) leadership. There are clear differences in how men ...