Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.

Send us a textPeter Weiss is a leadership mentor, former CEO, and founder of MindKaizen. He works with senior leaders operating under high pressure and complexity, helping them strengthen their inner operating system so they can meet today’s demands with clarity and stability. His work focuses on staying grounded under pressure, acting in line with personal values, and protecting the relationships that matter most.Originally from Germany, and with a background in bioengineering and an MBA, Peter spent decades leading and transforming organizations across Asia. He founded and led the Kaizen Institute Thailand and later turned around and successfully sold a manufacturing business.Peter is the creator of the ShinKaizen program, which blends ancient contemplative disciplines with applied neuroscience to develop the inner skills required for whole and effective leadership. He lives on a self-sufficient homestead in rural Thailand and works globally with executives, founders, and leadership teams.A Quote This Episode“Many leaders believe Kaizen is something you delegate. That belief is the problem. Tools never changed a culture. What changes culture is how leaders show up when things get tough."Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBook: Well-Being and Personal Growth by Bruno A. Cayoun Book: The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan HaidtAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Send us a textDr. Toby Newstead is a respected leadership scholar and practitioner at the University of Tasmania, located in lutruwita on the lands of the palawa and pakana people. With a background in corporate change, leadership development, and professional communications, she brings practical expertise to her academic, coaching, and consulting work.An internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Newstead specializes in virtues-based leadership development, leadership ethics, and leadership in the volunteer sector. Her research appears in top journals. In 2023, she published a book titled Leadership and Virtues: Understanding and Practicing Good Leadership.Dr. Newstead is an established executive leadership coach and deeply engaged with industry and community. She regularly delivers impactful workshops, keynotes, and facilitation sessions. Dr Newstead’s research, teaching, coaching and facilitation has local and international impact, shaping the leaders of today and tomorrow.Quotes From This Episode“We cannot develop other people; we can only facilitate their learning and assess if they learned.”“Leadership involves relationships, influence, shared purpose, and collective effort. That’s the stuff that has to be there.”“Leadership isn’t the answer to everything; there are times when management or command responses are what the situation calls for.”“Followership isn’t an afterthought; you don’t have leadership without both leaders leading and followers following.”Resources Mentioned in This EpisodePoem - The Blind Men and the ElephantBook - Learning in AdulthoodAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in so ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Dr. David V. Day, a professor and academic director at Claremont McKenna College, dives into the intriguing relationship between AI and leadership. They explore how AI can effectively handle management tasks like planning and performance reviews, while questioning its ability to lead. David highlights the shift of power from human leaders to AI, particularly in feedback and decision-making. He also delves into the emotional connections people form with AI, urging listeners to embrace AI as a constant developmental partner in their leadership journeys.

Nick Hart, the Principal at Horizon English School in Dubai and an expert in educational leadership, discusses the complex nature of schools as adaptive systems rather than simple machines. He emphasizes that every member of a school community plays a role in steering its mission. Hart dives into the challenges of feedback loops, the importance of distributed leadership, and strategies for embedding development into daily routines. He also explores innovative decision-making frameworks and the significance of clear communication and cultural design in educational settings.

In a captivating discussion, Karl W. Kuhnert, Ph.D., a leading professor from Emory University, shares insights on how AI can enhance leadership development. He explores the concept of digitizing expert decisions, emphasizing the importance of tacit knowledge as the essence of true expertise. Kuhnert describes innovative tools like the Tacit Object Modeler, which helps in generating personalized clinical scenarios. He advocates for a balanced relationship between AI and human judgment, highlighting that AI is a powerful tool but not a replacement for human wisdom.

Send us a textMisha Rubin is an executive “What’s Next” strategist who helps C-level leaders and high-achievers break income ceilings, land strategic leadership roles, and navigate bold career pivots while regaining meaning and momentum. Grounded in 15+ years as a Wall Street advisor and former EY Partner, he’s led $100M+ transformations and coached hundreds of executives to breakthroughs in compensation, clarity, and career strategy. His work is results-focused, built around executive positioning and decision-making, and supported by a proprietary tool that brings vision, clarity, and next-step confidence.A  Few Quotes From This Episode“We are CEOs of our careers and our lives, and somehow we tolerate not having a strategy for them.”“The slow lane is gone. If you are in a slow lane, that’s not a great place to be nowadays.”“You have to be nimble and bold to meet the needs of the future.”Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBook: Loving What Is by Byron Katie The Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum About The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Dr. Joel Rothaizer, a board-certified organizational psychologist and leadership coach, shares insights on polarity thinking. He explains how understanding concepts like collaboration and decisiveness as polarities can enhance leadership effectiveness. Joel discusses the downsides of over-prioritizing one value, illustrating how this can hinder growth and decision-making. He emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and crafting a personal purpose for balance. Tune in for practical strategies to navigate these complexities in leadership!

Send us a textDr. Joel Rothaizer is a psychologist, executive coach, organizational consultant and leadership development specialist. He’s Board Certified in Organizational & Business Consulting Psychology, and a Master Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. His book on leadership, called Clear Impact, has been strongly endorsed by Ken Wilber. The head of Integral Zen calls it the most integral book on leadership he’s ever read.A  Few Quotes From This Episode“You leave a wake in every interaction. The real question is not just what kind of wake you left, but whether you even noticed.”“Thirty seconds before every conversation, set a task goal and a people goal. That one habit can catapult your leadership capacity.”“Performance isn’t about you or me — it’s about how we’re doing together. Start a performance conversation with that and everything shifts.”Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBook: Clear Impact by Dr. Joel RothaizerArticle: Guaranteed to Optimize Your Leadership Effectiveness in Minutes a Day by Dr. Joel RothaizerArticle: The Wake I Leave by Dr. Joel Rothaizer Article: Co-Responsibility: The Essential Foundation for Effective Performance Collaboration by Dr. Joel RothaizerArticle: Organizational Leader: Do You Really “Think Systems”?Book: Cloudless Mind: Conversations on Buddhahood by Dan BrownTed Talk: Everyday Leadership by Drew DudleyAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and explorati ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Andrew McMasters, an actor, director, and leadership consultant, shares his unique insights into blending performance with business strategy. He emphasizes how actors' tools like body language can transform leadership communication. Through the 'yes and' principle from improv, he advocates for letting go of agendas to foster collaboration and creativity. McMasters also discusses the importance of practical exercises for leaders to enhance listening and engagement, demonstrating how small changes can lead to significant shifts in team dynamics.

Jon Macaskill, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander and mindfulness teacher, shares his journey from military leadership to compassionate coaching. He discusses the importance of bridging political divides and fostering unity through mindfulness, emphasizing emotional regulation and empathy. Jon explains the SEAL mantra 'slow is smooth, smooth is fast,' advocating for deliberate action to reduce mistakes. He also highlights the difference between kindness and niceness, advocating for candid feedback in leadership while holding others accountable.