

How Leaders Lead with David Novak
David Novak
How Leaders Lead gives you a front-row seat to exclusive conversations with the world’s most iconic leaders across business, sports, and entertainment. Hosted by David Novak, Co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, this podcast pulls back the curtain on how top CEOs, founders, and game-changers make things happen. When you tune in, you’ll learn from legends like Tom Brady, Condoleezza Rice, Jamie Dimon, Coach Prime (Deion Sanders), Indra Nooyi, Stanley Druckenmiller, and more.Other guests include:
CEO of Starbucks
CEO of Target
Co-founder of Home Depot
and many others...
David’s unique perspective and thought-provoking questions distill the wisdom of these leaders into actionable insights you can use to elevate your own leadership game. Whether you’re just starting your leadership journey or already leading teams, this show helps you build the confidence you need to lead well.
CEO of Starbucks
CEO of Target
Co-founder of Home Depot
and many others...
David’s unique perspective and thought-provoking questions distill the wisdom of these leaders into actionable insights you can use to elevate your own leadership game. Whether you’re just starting your leadership journey or already leading teams, this show helps you build the confidence you need to lead well.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 4, 2024 • 1h 3min
#181: Warby Parker Cofounders and Co-CEOs, Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa – Information has to travel quickly
Warby Parker's Co-CEOs Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa discuss the importance of fast information flow for smart decision-making and unity in organizations. They highlight strong partnerships, brand identity for creativity, handling disagreements, and success in retail. Explore their journey revolutionizing the glasses industry and maintaining a successful co-CEO dynamic.

4 snips
Mar 28, 2024 • 32min
#180: The Best Of Q1
Leadership insights from a diverse range of guests including CEOs, coaches, and military leaders. Topics cover learning from failures, leadership in sports, nurturing a culture of continual learning, discovering key customer segments, and reflecting on memories and positivity.

Mar 25, 2024 • 15min
3 More Questions (Matt Doherty) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
The podcast discusses advice for leaders recruiting in competitive industries, managing organizational change, and handling relationships with predecessors. It also explores personalized recruiting, creating a burning platform for change, and embracing legacy and learning from predecessors in leadership transitions.

34 snips
Mar 21, 2024 • 1h 1min
#179: Matt Doherty, author and former head basketball coach at North Carolina — Look for the opportunities in adversity
Former head basketball coach at North Carolina, Matt Doherty, shares insights on overcoming adversity and finding opportunities. Learn about accountability in leadership, practical sales tips, winning a national title with Michael Jordan, and dealing with getting fired.

Mar 18, 2024 • 11min
3 More Questions (Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Leadership tips and insights from David Novak including staying consistent after highs/lows, instilling drive in teams, and processing failures. Also, reflections on motivation, turning failure into progress, and wisdom from a football coach on overcoming nerves and setting high standards.

Mar 14, 2024 • 60min
#178: Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders, NFL Hall of Famer and Head Football Coach at the University of Colorado – Even if you’re broken, keep moving
Get inside the mind of Deion Sanders, a charismatic and inspirational leader, as he shares insights on communication, defining team wins, leading without authority, and the mentality needed for a turnaround. Learn how to level up your leadership skills and stay motivated from this engaging podcast conversation.

Mar 11, 2024 • 10min
3 More Questions (Michelle Korsmo) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
David Novak discusses the importance of evaluating teams, defining vision, and having a flexible business strategy. He also gives advice on uniting and engaging people across different sectors. The podcast emphasizes the key strategies for fostering a positive work environment and aligning people with strategic goals.

Mar 7, 2024 • 41min
#177: Michelle Korsmo, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association — Engage others by drawing them out
How can you get people engaged with your big plans and strategies? It starts with how you engage with them. Michelle Korsmo is the President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, and she understands the power of drawing people out in order to get them engaged with her big goals. Listen to this episode and see how it’s done! You’ll also learn:
How to turn big strategies into real plans
Two key factors to advancing your agenda
The mindset shift you need to make after getting promoted
Advice for women who want to advance in their careers
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each dayWhichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Mar 4, 2024 • 8min
3 More Questions (Joe Scarlett) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:
What are some ways leaders can hone in on who their customers really are?
Why do you believe Tractor Supply Company's stock performed as well as it did from 2000-2020?
How do you train your people to do the right thing with customers?
———GO DEEPER
Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store
Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week!
Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!

Feb 29, 2024 • 47min
#176: Joe Scarlett, former CEO of Tractor Supply Company — Transparency unifies a team
Let’s be honest: just because people work for the same company doesn’t mean they’re on the same team.As a leader, how can you truly get your team unified and working together? This conversation with Joe Scarlett, the former CEO of Tractor Supply Company, is full of practical ideas and insights. You’ll also learn:
One small tweak you might need to make to your bonus structure
A blueprint for conducting a successful site visit
Why it’s important to open up and share company details with your team
How Tractor Supply Company avoided getting squashed by big competitors like The Home Depot and Walmart
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each dayWhichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.