

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

Oct 23, 2023 • 9min
3 More Questions (Liz Elting) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:
For leaders trying to scale their business, what should they be focusing on?
What are ways leaders can reward their hard-working team in a time that demands more of their employees?
What kind of balance do leaders need to have between instructing people on what to do, then setting them loose to go and do it?
———ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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!
Become a better leader in 5 days with our free, 5-Day Leadership Tune Up. This five-minute-a-day program is designed for the busy leader – it cuts right to the chase and gives you the practical know-how you’ll need to boost your confidence as a leader.
Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!

Oct 19, 2023 • 49min
#157: Liz Elting, Cofounder and former CEO of TransPerfect — Develop a bias toward action
Former CEO of TransPerfect, Liz Elting, discusses her strong bias toward action in leadership and shares insights on building a billion-dollar business. Highlights include focusing on scaling quickly, overcoming personnel mistakes, hitting goals, hiring for sales roles, and practical sources of new ideas. She also stresses the importance of critical safeguards in business partnerships. The episode emphasizes the value of taking action, setting goals, and executing them.

Oct 16, 2023 • 12min
3 More Questions (Michael Bungay Stanier) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:
Was there a time in your career you resisted the urge to dispense advice and instead, asked more questions to your team to pull out their insights?
What practices have you used to celebrate others' ideas?
What are some practical ways to shift from “boss” to “coach”?
———ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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!
Become a better leader in 5 days with our free, 5-Day Leadership Tune Up. This five-minute-a-day program is designed for the busy leader – it cuts right to the chase and gives you the practical know-how you’ll need to boost your confidence as a leader.
Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!

31 snips
Oct 12, 2023 • 53min
#156: Michael Bungay Stanier, Founder of Box of Crayons — Be curious
Michael Bungay Stanier, founder of Box of Crayons and bestselling author, talks about the power of curiosity in leadership. He shares practical tips on coaching, taming the 'Advice Monsters,' using silence, and improving communication skills. The podcast also explores challenges of founder transitions, the journey of publishing a best-selling book, and the impact of giving up power in leadership.

Oct 9, 2023 • 12min
3 More Questions (Bill George) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:
How can leaders eliminate the layers that build up between them and the people who work on the front lines of their organization?
What do you do when you've lost the passion for your job?
How can leaders convey the big-picture mission of their company to the employees so they don’t get distracted by temporary challenges?
———ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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!
Become a better leader in 5 days with our free, 5-Day Leadership Tune Up. This five-minute-a-day program is designed for the busy leader – it cuts right to the chase and gives you the practical know-how you’ll need to boost your confidence as a leader.
Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!

4 snips
Oct 5, 2023 • 52min
#155: Bill George, Former CEO of Medtronic — Stay connected to your front lines
Former CEO Bill George shares valuable insights on staying connected to frontline employees and leading with authenticity. He discusses the importance of forging relationships, finding purpose, and focusing on long-term goals. The guest also highlights the impact of choosing the right leaders, shares the process of finding one's true north, and emphasizes the significance of valuing frontline teams.

Sep 28, 2023 • 52min
#154: The Best Of Q3
Former leaders of Ford, the Federal Reserve, and the USGA, along with other notable guests, share insights on topics such as facing reality, transparency in leadership, color coding for problem-solving, career journeys, storytelling, maintaining quality in the restaurant industry, and the power of vulnerability in leadership.

Sep 25, 2023 • 12min
3 More Questions (Diana Murphy) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:
What characteristics would you look for if you were on the search committee for a new CEO?
What advice would you give to a leader trying to keep a sales team motivated?
How would you suggest people navigate working for a boss they don't like?
ALSO...
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!
Become a better leader in 5 days with our free, 5-Day Leadership Tune Up. This five-minute-a-day program is designed for the busy leader – it cuts right to the chase and gives you the practical know-how you’ll need to boost your confidence as a leader.
Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!

Sep 21, 2023 • 49min
#153: Diana Murphy, former president of the USGA – The power of collaboration
Former USGA President Diana Murphy discusses the power of collaboration and shares insights on leadership. Topics include mindset for new challenges, motivating sales force, handling dissent, and traits for the C-suite. Also, a heartwarming story of Arnold Palmer playing golf on her wedding day.

Sep 18, 2023 • 11min
3 More Questions (Scott Redler) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:
Why is a mindset of "helping others be successful" as a leader so critical to the longevity and growth of an organization?
What happens when your team members function like entrepreneurs?
How do you keep your own opinion out of the way (and just stick to the facts) as a leader?
ALSO...
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! https://howleaderslead.com/plan/
Become a better leader in 5 days with our free, 5-Day Leadership Tune Up. This five-minute-a-day program is designed for the busy leader – it cuts right to the chase and gives you the practical know-how you’ll need to boost your confidence as a leader. https://howleaderslead.com/5-day-leadership-tuneup/
Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-leaders-lead-with-david-novak/id1223803642


