TruthWorks

Suneel Gupta, an author, entrepreneur, and Harvard faculty member known for his focus on leadership and resilience, challenges the belief that we need to be 'ready' to succeed. He discusses how failure fueled his journey from being the 'poster child for failure' in The New York Times to a successful health-tech founder. Suneel emphasizes the importance of managing energy over time, the 'game of now' philosophy, and how fear is a necessary companion on the path to courage. He also shares insights on integrating rest into daily life for lasting well-being.

In a thought-provoking conversation, Anna Lundström, Spotify's CHRO, shares her journey through the evolving landscape of HR in the AI era. She emphasizes the importance of humanizing AI and preparing employees for a future intertwined with technology. Anna discusses Spotify's successful cross-functional AI strategy, which led to nearly universal adoption. She also reveals the company's new cultural anchors—'One Team,' 'Make It Happen,' and 'Use Human Judgment,' reflecting a shift needed as Spotify scales and adapts.

Dr. Rebecca Heiss, a stress physiologist and author, unpacks the surprising truth about stress and fear, advocating for a shift in perspective. She reveals that stress isn't the enemy but can be transformed into a powerful performance tool. The conversation highlights the misconceptions around burnout, the pitfalls of social media, and how vulnerability can build trust in the workplace. Rebecca shares her 'fearless formula' to turn anxiety into excitement, emphasizing that life's most meaningful moments often come with stress.

In a captivating discussion, Alex Pentland, a distinguished data scientist from MIT, delves into the intricate dynamics of trust and collaboration within organizations. He explains how trust shapes company performance and the cultural stories that build it. Pentland shares insights from his research on how AI can facilitate human connection rather than dictate interactions. He emphasizes the need for humility and the importance of shared wisdom in fostering cultural evolution. With promising findings, he showcases the potential for AI to enhance decision-making and promote better collaboration.

This week on the Truth Works podcast, Jessica Neal sits down with Bob Sutton, Michael Arena, and Beth Steinberg to unpack one of the most debated topics in organizational design — flat vs hierarchical structures.Drawing on lessons from companies like GM, Nvidia, and Netflix, they explore how culture, leadership, and network dynamics drive innovation and accountability. From Michael Arena’s experience at General Motors to Beth Steinberg’s work in shaping talent at high-growth startups, and Bob Sutton’s decades of Stanford research on power and scaling — this conversation reveals what truly makes organizations thrive (or collapse) as they grow.If you’ve ever wondered how companies like Nvidia maintain speed and creativity without chaos, this episode is a masterclass in the art and science of organizational design.

This week on Truth Works, Jessica Neal sits down with Patrick Leddin — former U.S. Army Ranger, Fortune 500 consultant, professor, and bestselling author of Disrupt Everything and Win (co-written with James Patterson). Patrick shares how he’s led through constant change — from the military to corporate boardrooms to academia — and what it truly takes to navigate disruption without burning out.In this episode, Patrick breaks down his research behind Disrupt Everything and Win, including:How leaders can turn chaos into momentum using the Disruptive Loop: Discern → Behave → Achieve → RefineThe five roles people play in moments of change — from Trailblazer to FirefighterWhy saying no can sometimes be the most disruptive moveWhat it means to own the day before your feet hit the groundHow to build resilience, self-awareness, and unity in command — even when your team feels overwhelmedPatrick also opens up about co-authoring with James Patterson, leaving his professorship at Vanderbilt to bet on his own work, and why true leadership starts with reflection, humility, and purpose.🔗 Learn more: https://patrickleddin.com📘 Disrupt Everything and Win — available wherever books are sold💼 Franklin Covey partnership: Disrupt Everything: Innovate for Impact (launching Nov 17, 2025)

Mark Thompson, an executive coach, and Byron Loflin, a governance expert at Nasdaq, dive into the psychology of leadership in a candid chat. They explore the rising trend of CEO turnover and the loneliness of the role. Discover how extraordinary leaders build trust under pressure and the surprising habits that keep them grounded. The duo emphasizes the critical role of emotional intelligence and effective succession planning while sharing insider insights on what new CEOs get wrong. They provide invaluable advice for aspiring leaders looking to thrive.

Robert Glazer built one of the world’s leading performance marketing agencies — scaling Acceleration Partners into a global firm serving top brands around the world.But somewhere along the way, growth stopped feeling good.In this episode, Robert opens up about the moment he realized that achievement without alignment can quietly hollow you out. He talks about how values shape every decision, why drive without purpose leads to burnout, and what it really means to grow,  as a leader, and as a person.We talk about building culture that lasts, the hidden costs of ambition, and why the hardest work isn’t scaling a company: it’s staying true to yourself while doing it.This is a conversation about values, fulfillment, and redefining success before it breaks you.

Anne-Laure Le Cunff has spent years decoding how our minds actually work — and why modern life keeps breaking them.A former Google strategist turned founder of Ness Labs, she left one of the world’s most intense environments to study neuroscience and re-imagine productivity through self-awareness and mental clarity.In this conversation, we go beyond the buzzwords. We talk about why burnout is not a failure of willpower, how our obsession with optimization destroys focus, and the science of thinking slower to create more.Anne-Laure reveals what she learned studying cognitive fatigue, the myth of the “lazy brain,” and how anyone can design a life that supports curiosity instead of exhaustion.This episode isn’t about doing more — it’s about understanding yourself deeply enough to know what actually works.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a Harvard Business School professor and renowned author on leadership and innovation, dives into the essence of transforming organizations. She discusses the critical role of bold leadership and fostering a culture of confidence. Kanter tackles the challenges women face in leadership, critiques policies that limit their advancement, and promotes empowering all employees as 'assistant CEOs.' She also explains why innovation stalls and offers strategies for overcoming resistance to change, emphasizing the importance of trust and communication in building engaged workplaces.