
Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.
Practical Wisdom for Leaders is your fast-paced, forward-thinking guide to leadership. Join host Scott J. Allen as he engages with remarkable guests—from former world leaders and nonprofit innovators to renowned professors, CEOs, and authors. Each episode offers timely insights and actionable tips designed to help you lead with impact, grow personally and professionally, and make a meaningful difference in your corner of the world.
Latest episodes

Jun 4, 2025 • 46min
The Climate Change Leadership Imperative with Dr. Doug MacKie
Send us a textDr. Doug MacKie has over 30 years of experience as an organisational and business psychologist and executive coach working in the UK, Europe, and Australasia. He specialises in sustainability leadership, high-performance teams, and developing leadership within purposeful organisations. Through his consulting work, he has helped identify and accelerate the development of ethical leadership and team capability in CEO’s, C-Suite executives, and MDs within many of the top 100 companies in the UK and Australia. He is the author of the definitive guide to Strength-Based Leadership Coaching in Organisations (2016) and is a co-editor of The Practitioners Handbook of Team Coaching (2019). He has recently established the Centre for Climate Change Leadership in Organisations and is the editor of the Handbook on this topic, published in 2023.A Few Quotes From This Episode“There is a significant gap between the scale and impact of anthropogenic climate change and the capacity of contemporary leadership to address those issues.”“We need to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.”“We’re not good at long-term thinking as a species.”Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: Handbook of Climate Change Leadership in Organisations by MacKie (25AFLY2 will get listeners 20% off the handbook)Book: Lead for the Planet by AndreBook: Earth for All by Dixon-Decleve et al Book: Climate Change by Hulme Book: Ethical Leadership: A Primer by McManus,R.M. et alBook: The Sustainability Mindset Principles by RimanoczyAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!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 exploration of the topic. ♻️ 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.

May 28, 2025 • 40min
When Theory Meets Reality with Dr. Juandré Peacock
Send us a textDr. Juandré Peacock is an accomplished organizational psychologist and speaker. He holds Master's and Doctorate degrees in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, credentials that have underpinned a distinguished career working with some of the most complex organizations in the world.As a practitioner psychologist, Dr. Peacock applies research-based insights and strategies to every solution to ensure maximum impact. His work spans industries and continents, helping organizations foster connection and engagement, reduce attrition, and create cultures of growth and stability.An advocate for lifelong learning and innovation, Dr. Peacock has developed proprietary frameworks like RocketStart™, Cornerstone Skills for Managers™, and SynergisticChange™— tools designed to revolutionize how organizations approach talent development and change.Known for his engaging delivery, Dr. Peacock crafts experiences integrating scientific research with inspirational narratives into actionable insights for all organizations. When not consulting or speaking, Dr. Peacock spends time with his wife, two children, and two dogs. Most weekends are spent in youth sports or arts, with the occasional fishing trip when time allows.A Quote From This Episode"I think there's a little bit of a disconnect between what you learn in the books and what you get to apply in the job space...when you learn about these things, what you don't learn are the real world constraints that organizations have to deal with...it's all well and good to try to do a job analysis by the book, it's extremely difficult to do it in practice."Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: The Reacher Series by Lee Child About The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!About Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersBlogMy 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 exploration of the topic. ♻️ 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.

May 21, 2025 • 37min
Exploring Virtue-Based Leadership with Dr. Toby Newstead
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.A Quote From This Episode“If we can insert virtues between stimulus and response, we can be more intentional about who we are and how we show up as leaders.”Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: Lessons in ChemistryBook: The Dreaming PathAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!About Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersBlogMy 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 exploration of the topic. ♻️ 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.

May 14, 2025 • 38min
Leadership Unscripted: Leadership Learning from Pop Culture and Media with Dr. Brigitte Biehl
Send us a textDr. Brigitte Biehl is a Professor at SRH University of Applied Sciences in Berlin and a visiting researcher at FernUniversity in Hagen, Germany, where she worked as a guest professor for Gender and Queer Studies in Leadership and where she was awarded a Venia Legendi in 2024. Biehl serves on the editorial boards of "Management Learning," "Leadership," and "Organizational Aesthetics." Among her publications are books on “Leadership in Games of Thrones,” and “Leadership Lessons from the Kardashians.” She researches leadership development, art and leadership, and gender issues.A Few (Awesome) Quotes From This Episode“Leadership really is everywhere.”“Let yourself be affected, go on a journey with the characters. Be seduced by the film experience, distance yourself from it, and then draw your conclusions.”“Film can help us become better leaders and better followers.”Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: Leadership Lessons from the KardashiansBook: Leadership in Games of ThronesDocumentary: Crip CampFilm: CODAAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!About Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersBlogMy 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 exploration of the topic. ♻️ 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.

May 7, 2025 • 36min
Leadership in Ukraine: Studies During Wartime with Dr. Alexander Negrov and Dr. Ron Riggio
Send us a textAlexander Negrow, Ph.D., is a theologian and leadership researcher with over thirty years of teaching and leadership experience. As the founder and President of Hodos Institute, he leads efforts to impact leadership practices in the United States and his country of birth, Ukraine. He is deeply passionate about advancing spiritual, ethical, and effective leadership, as well as spiritual coaching and guidance. Dr. Negrov integrates all these practices into his broader leadership philosophy. Ronald E. Riggio, Ph. D., is the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology and former director of the Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College. He is the author of more than a dozen books and more than 100 research articles and book chapters on leadership, assessment centers, organizational psychology, and social psychology. He's served on the editorial boards of The Leadership Quarterly, Leadership, Group Dynamics, and Journal of Nonverbal Behavior.A Few Quotes From This Episode“Peace is like air; when it's there, you don't notice it. When it's absent, you suffocate.""Partnership, not competition, became a key theme and practice of Ukrainian leadership during this wartime.""Leadership begins and ends with presence—being there, next to people when they're hurt."Resources Mentioned in This Episode Leadership in Ukraine: Studies During Wartime Hodos Leadership About The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!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 exploration of the topic. ♻️ 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.

Apr 30, 2025 • 43min
Clarity: Business Wisdom to Work Less and Achieve More with Jim Vaselopoulos
Send us a textJim Vaselopulos is a C-level business advisor and executive coach with a proven record as a leader, strategist, rainmaker, and expert in new business development. With his principled leadership, visionary approach, and effective execution, Jim has successfully established new companies and transformed underperforming organizations. As the founder of Rafti Advisors, Jim assists early-stage businesses in launching successfully, growth-stage enterprises in accelerating their progress, and established organizations in navigating complex challenges and strategic shifts. Jim teaches sales and professional development and frequently speaks on the subjects of leadership and innovation. He also volunteers regularly with business incubators and veterans groups. Jim is also the author of Clarity: Business Wisdom to Work Less and Achieve More and the co-host of The Leadership Podcast.He graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and earned his MBA at Marquette University. Jim is a dedicated husband and father of two wonderful children with his wife, Dana.A Few Quotes From This Episode“If you feel like you’re playing Whack-a-Mole, you’re not digging deep enough, you’re not curious enough about what the real root cause is.”“When we talk about things that are symptoms, I’m not saying they’re not important…but the underlying condition is deeper.”“Balance is not something you get once and keep forever. You need feedback, and you need to keep adjusting.”Resources Mentioned in This Episode Author: Peter ZeihanAuthor: Jordan PetersonAuthor: Leslie Zane About The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!About Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersBlogMy 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 exploration of the topic. ♻️ 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.

Apr 23, 2025 • 39min
Why Middle Management Really Matters with Jeff Sigel
Send us a textJeff Sigel is an author, coach, and consultant who is passionate about creating better work environments and more fulfilling careers for middle managers everywhere. After over 20 years of corporate experience at Nabisco, The Hershey Company, grocery retailer Ahold, and the restaurant company Cracker Barrel, Jeff has shifted his focus to coaching mid-level leaders and supporting companies looking to empower their middle management teams. He is currently a consultant and coach focused on turning strategy into action by developing middle management excellence. His book, "The Middle Matters: A Toolkit for Middle Managers" was published in June 2024.A Few (Awesome) Quotes From This Episode“I spent a lot of years in middle management doing stuff wrong.”"These are the hardest skills that we actually have to learn to do our jobs—the so-called ‘soft skills.’""The goal of leadership is to create the conditions where you trust your team to function at a high level even when you are not there.”Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: Leading YourselfAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!About Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersBlogMy 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 exploration of the topic. ♻️ 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.

Apr 16, 2025 • 37min
Learning in Public: How a Leadership Podcast Changed My World with Dr. Scott J. Allen
In this engaging conversation, Martin Gutmann, an author and TED speaker, discusses the profound impact of launching a podcast during the pandemic. He shares his journey of navigating the technical aspects and highlights unexpected growth from this creative venture. The duo reflects on lessons from over 275 leadership discussions, emphasizing the evolving nature of leadership and the importance of adaptability. They also explore the interplay between external pressures and personal agency, advocating for lifelong learning and collaboration in leadership.

Apr 9, 2025 • 34min
Fostering Innovation: Creative Problem Solving with Dr. Amy Climer
Dr. Amy Climer, a thought leader in innovation and team development, shares her insights on fostering creativity within organizations. She emphasizes the importance of structured systems for effective problem-solving, discussing methods like design thinking. Amy highlights the significance of clarifying real problems before brainstorming. With a focus on cultivating a deliberate creative environment, she explains how shared purpose and team dynamics are key to innovation. Her practical tips aim to unlock the creativity of teams while navigating organizational challenges.

Apr 2, 2025 • 48min
Sustainable Success: The Long Game for Work, Family, and Beyond with Jon Acuff
Jon Acuff, a New York Times bestselling author and dynamic speaker, dives into the nuances of sustainable success. He discusses the evolution of parenting, emphasizing timing and modeling behaviors for strong family bonds. Acuff also highlights how extraordinary leadership relies on consistency and unconventional methods. Additionally, he shares personal productivity tips, advocating for self-awareness and clear communication to enhance effectiveness. His humorous insights encourage listeners to embrace their potential and foster meaningful relationships.