TruthWorks

What does it take to drive real, lasting change inside organizations? In this episode of Truth Works, Jessica Neal sits down with Rosabeth Moss Kanter — Harvard Business School professor, trailblazing author, and one of the world’s most influential thinkers on leadership and strategy.Rosabeth has spent decades studying how companies rise, adapt, and lead through transformation. From pioneering research on innovation and change management to her bestselling books like Confidence and Think Outside the Building, she has shaped the way leaders and organizations think about their future.In this conversation, Rosabeth shares why bold leadership matters more than ever, how to overcome resistance to change, and what it means to foster confidence in both people and institutions.👉 If you care about leadership, innovation, and the courage to make change happen, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Truth Works, Jessica Neal sits down with William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of the Vanderbloemen Search Group, pastor-turned-entrepreneur, and author of Next: Pastoral Succession That Works. William’s career is a rare intersection of ministry, business, and leadership. From serving as a pastor to building one of the most respected executive search firms for churches, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations, his journey offers timeless lessons on culture, calling, and change.We explore:How William made the leap from preaching in the pulpit to running a global search firm.Why succession planning is the “silent crisis” in leadership — and how to do it right.The role of faith, values, and resilience in navigating career transitions.What every leader can learn about building trust, teams, and lasting impact.Whether you’re a founder, leader, or simply navigating your own next chapter, William brings a candid, faith-rooted perspective on what it takes to lead with both conviction and humility.

In this episode of the Truth Works Podcast, host Jessica Neal welcomes Richard Ezekiel — a seasoned executive, strategist, and thought leader in the world of partnerships.Richard’s career spans venture-backed startups, Fortune 500 companies, and the broader innovation ecosystem. He has built and led transformative partnerships that drive growth, create customer value, and bring together organizations that otherwise might have remained siloed. Over the years, Richard has worked alongside iconic leaders such as John Chambers, Reed Hastings, and Marc Andreessen, shaping high-impact alliances that have left a lasting mark on Silicon Valley and beyond.He is the author of COELEVATE: How to Unlock Business Growth and Consumer Value with Strategic Partnerships, a book that distills decades of real-world experience and mentorship into a practical framework for creating partnerships that endure. COELEVATE explores why 70% of partnerships fail, how to de-risk alliances, and how to treat partnerships as a disciplined business function capable of unlocking exponential growth.Whether you’re a founder, executive, or someone navigating the complexities of organizational collaboration, Richard’s insights offer a roadmap to building relationships that matter.Richard has a special PROMO code for Truth works listeners. Email us at yash@astrasmedia.com to avail them or dm Richard.If the book inspires you, the author would be grateful if you left a review—it really helps spread the word.👉 coelevatebook.com/ar

On this solo episode of Truth Works, host Jessica Neal sits down with Eduardo Briceño, author of The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action and one of the world’s leading voices on growth mindset. From Caracas to Silicon Valley, VC to education, Eduardo unpacks how living in constant performance mode stalls progress—and how deliberately switching into the learning zone unlocks long-term excellence.We get tactical: redesigning meeting agendas so learning isn’t an afterthought, building daily habits for reflection, modeling feedback, and balancing short-term execution with bold, long-term goals. Jessica shares inside stories from Netflix—farming for dissent, the informed captain model, leading with context, and why over-communication beats under-communication every time—while Eduardo shows how to turn those ideas into repeatable systems that compound.You’ll learn:The difference between learning vs. performance zones—and when to be in eachSimple agenda tweaks that make every meeting smarterHow to normalize feedback and dissent without slowing executionA daily question leaders can use to keep teams unblocked and alignedFind Eduardo’s TED Talks, newsletter, and more—and don’t forget to check out The Performance Paradox.

In this episode, Kweilin Ellingrud—Director at the McKinsey Global Institute and Senior Partner at McKinsey,breaks down the gender pay gap as a solvable, data-driven problem. We trace where inequity actually begins (the “broken rung” at first promotion), how it compounds through performance reviews and caregiving penalties, and why “it’s just choices” doesn’t hold up once you control for role and tenure. Kweilin shares the fixes leaders can implement this quarter: transparent pay bands, balanced promotion slates, skills-based hiring, disciplined pay equity audits, and manager training that sticks. We also explore how AI and productivity gains could widen or close the gap—depending on governance. You’ll leave with a six-step playbook, concrete KPIs to track progress, and quick experiments any org can run to make fair pay the default.

In this episode of Truth Works, we sit down with Beth Steinberg, an organizational development and leadership expert with over 25 years of experience guiding companies through hypergrowth, IPOs, and acquisitions. As founder of Mensch Ventures and former People leader at Facebook, Sunrun, and BrightRoll, Beth has helped scale both startups and global enterprises by blending leadership coaching with people strategy and culture design.She shares lessons from steering talent systems under pressure, her philosophy on coaching leaders rather than just managing tasks, and her commitment to advancing women in STEM through the U.S. State Department’s TechWomen initiative. This conversation is a masterclass in building resilient organizations where culture and growth go hand in hand.

In this episode of Truth Works, we welcome James Turk, author of The Giving Game. James is dedicated to helping organizations cultivate leaders who understand that generosity is not just a personal virtue, but a strategic advantage.He explains how effective leadership is built on trust, collaboration, and the ability to give more than you take. Drawing on his research and experiences, James shows how “the giving mindset” transforms cultures—turning teams into communities that thrive on shared purpose and mutual support.We discuss practical ways leaders can integrate these ideas into their organizations, from shaping daily interactions to guiding long-term strategy. James challenges traditional notions of leadership rooted in authority, offering instead a vision of leaders who elevate others, empower innovation, and build resilience through generosity.

In this re-run episode of Truth Works, Nirav Tolia - co-founder and CEO of Nextdoor - shares an unfiltered look at the rollercoaster of startup leadership. From his early internet days at Yahoo to co-founding Nextdoor, Nirav reflects on the thrill of building something people love, the sting of being asked to step down, and the personal growth that came from failure. Now back at the helm, he discusses how he’s leading differently, the importance of culture, and why resilience matters more than ever.In this episode, we cover:Nirav’s journey from Odessa, Texas, to Stanford, Yahoo, and the creation of NextdoorLessons from his first startup success — and a massive failureThe emotional impact of being removed as CEO and how he rebuilt his perspectiveThe role stress plays in leadership and how to manage itWhy intent matters less than impact when leading a teamBalancing vulnerability with authority as a leaderReturning to Nextdoor during a turnaround and redefining its cultureThe “two products” every CEO is building: the product itself and the company’s culture

Laszlo Bock, the former head of HR at Google and founder of Humu, shares his groundbreaking insights on people analytics and workplace culture. He discusses the pivotal experiments at Google that reshaped hiring practices, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decisions. Laszlo highlights the value of 'constructive defiance' in driving change and reflects on the evolving role of CHROs in today's tech landscape. With engaging anecdotes, he explores the transformative impact of high company standards and the entrepreneurial journey from corporate giants to startups.

In this engaging discussion, Michele Zanini, an expert in organizational design and co-author of 'Humanocracy,' dives into how traditional bureaucracy stifles innovation. She shares insights on transforming companies into dynamic, employee-centric cultures, drawing on examples like Netflix and the U.S. Army. Along with Bob Sutton, they challenge conventional performance reviews and advocate for collaborative evaluations. The conversation is packed with actionable steps to embrace change and unleash human potential by fostering a culture of creativity and accountability.