Send us a textRetired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni joins the show to share the lessons he learned from over four decades of public service. He provides leadership insights and stories that range from his experiences in the jungles of Vietnam to the headquarters of United States Central Command (CENTCOM) and years of working in the private sector. Anthony Zinni is a retired Marine Corps 4-star General. He joined the Marine Corps’ Platoon Leader Class program in 1961 and was commissioned an infantry second lieutenant in 1965 upon graduation from Villanova University. He held numerous command and staff assignments that included platoon, company, battalion, regimental, Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Marine Expeditionary Force command. His staff assignments included service in operations, training, special operations, counter-terrorism, and manpower billets. He has been a tactics and operations instructor at several Marine Corps schools and was selected as a fellow on the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group. General Zinni’s joint assignments included command of a joint task force and a unified command. He has also had several joint and combined staff billets at task force and unified command levels.His military service has taken him to over 70 countries and includes deployments to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Western Pacific, Northern Europe, and Korea. He has also served tours of duty in Okinawa and Germany. His operational experiences included two tours in Vietnam, where he was severely wounded; emergency relief and security operations in the Philippines; Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey and northern Iraq; Operation Provide Hope in the former Soviet Union; Operations Restore Hope, Continue Hope, and United Shield in Somalia; Operations Resolute Response and Noble Response in Kenya; Operations Desert Thunder, Desert Fox, Desert Viper, Desert Spring, Southern Watch, and Maritime Intercept Operations in Iraq and the Persian Gulf; and Operation Infinite Reach against terrorist targets in the Central Region. He was involved in the planning and execution of Operation Proven Force and Operation Patriot Defender during the Gulf War and noncombatant evacuation operations in Liberia, Zaire, Sierra Leone, and Eritrea.He has attended numerous military schools and courses including the Army Special Warfare School, the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College.General Zinni has held academic positions that include the Stanley Chair in Ethics at the Virginia Military Institute; the Nimitz Chair at the University of California-Berkeley; the Hofheimer Chair at the Joint Forces Staff College; the Weissberg Chair at Beloit College; the Harriman Professor of Government Chair and membership on the Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary; membership on the board of Villanova University’s Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance; and selection as a Carter O. Lowance Fellow in Law and Public Policy at the William and Mary Law School. He has also lectured at numerous colleges and universities in the US and abroad.General Zinni retired from the military in 2000 after commanding the US Central Command.

Send us a textDr. Cassie Holmes, an expert on time and happiness, joins Joe to discuss her recently published book, Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most.  She provides useful advice for those who find themselves feeling like they spend all their time working and don't have any time or energy left for the things that bring them happiness. 

Send us a textSanyin Siang's mission in life is to enable greatness in others. In this episode, Sanyin and Joe discuss  how each of us has a unique set of superpowers that are waiting to be unleashed. She believes that  once we understand our superpowers, we can improve our lives and the lives of those around us. If you want to learn more, check out Sanyin's biweekly newsletter, The Leadership Playbook: Unleashing Your Superpowers

Send us a textMany of us are success addicts and we don't even know it. Arthur C. Brooks, author of From Strength to Strength, joins the show to discuss why our brains are wired to chase achievement and how it can negatively impact our overall happiness.  He also shares where we should focus our lives to find more fulfillment. 

Send us a textVictoria Wellman, the co-founder of The Oratory Laboratory and author of Before You Say Anything: The Untold Stories and Failproof Strategies of a Very Discreet Speechwriter joins the show to talk about the art of public speaking. Victoria and Joe discuss what people should know before they sit down to write their speech, tips for structuring, and considerations for delivery. She also shares some of the biggest mistakes people make when they stand up in front of a crowd and how to avoid them. Who's Victoria? She is the co-founder and President of The Oratory Laboratory, a boutique creative agency for public speakers based in Manhattan and servicing the world. She has crafted speeches for influencers, politicians, entrepreneurs, Olympians, NFL stars, astronauts, rap stars, artists, and activists, and has garnered media attention from The Today Show, Martha Stewart, CNN, NPR, NBC, ABC and CBS News. A professionally trained actress, Wellman lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Send us a textSusan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking  joins the show to discuss her latest book Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. Joe and Susan talk about the power of harnessing our pain and struggles and turning them into creativity, connection, and transcendence. 

Send us a textKyle Scheele, author of How to Host a Viking Funeral: The Case for Burning Your Regrets, Chasing Your Crazy Ideas, and Becoming the Person You're Meant to Be joins the podcast to tell the inspiring story of when he asked people to send him their life's regrets to burn in a viking funeral featuring a 30-foot viking ship he built out of cardboard. Kyle received over 20k responses from around the world and shares what he learned about letting go of the past so that we can live a more fulfilling life. 

Send us a textBest-selling author and popular blogger Eric Barker joins Joe to discuss his latest book, Plays Well With Others, sharing what decades of research tells us about relationships and how we can build better ones in our own lives. In this episode, Joe and Eric cover first impressions, romantic relationships, friendships, and the importance of being a member of a community. Check out Eric's blog here!Looking to learn about more books like Eric's? Check out Joe's Monthly Reading List Email. Each month he recommends 3-5 new (and ancient) titles that you can leverage to help you lead with the best version of yourself.

Send us a textDavid Gergen, former White House advisor to four different U.S. Presidents and New York Times- best selling author joins Joe to talk about his latest book Hearts Touched With Fire: How Great Leaders Are Made.  In this episode David argues that leaders must take an inner journey to master themselves before leading others. He also shares what he learned working for Presidents Nixon, Reagan, and Clinton. After spending the last two decades sharing leadership lessons with his students at the Harvard Kennedy School, he now hopes to spread them more widely through his book and this podcast. Looking for books to read to help you on your inner journey? Check out Joe's Monthly Reading List Email. Each month he recommends 3-5 new (and ancient) titles that you can leverage to help you lead with the best version of yourself. 

Send us a textThe commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, Major General David Hodne joins the show to discuss the lessons he's learned shaping the complex cultures of the organizations he's lead in the military. He shares stories about changing the way privates meet their drill sergeants on the first day of basic training, how character counts more than resume, and how he develops leaders in the 4th Infantry Division. Finally, he explains why communication is an important skill for leaders to develop.