How Leaders Lead with David Novak

Today’s guest is Wendy Clark, Global CEO of Dentsu International, and the first female CEO of a big six global advertising agency. Before that, she did incredible work as a marketing executive at Coca-Cola and AT&T.She’s a giant of the advertising world. She is literally in the hall of fame. But despite all her success, Wendy is the absolute master of embracing the underdog mentality. It’s how she stays motivated, both personally and professionally, and how she continues to over-deliver and outperform.She really is the master of mindset, and she will show you how to lean into the underdog mentality and use it as fuel to work for you.If you’ve ever felt underestimated at work or like the underdog in your industry, then you are going to love this conversation.You’ll also learn: How to use marketing savvy in a leadership setting so your big ideas connect Three questions you can ask to evaluate a creative idea  Key insights about social media that every leader should know A better approach to work and life than “balance” 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.

Today’s guest is Mickey Drexler, the former CEO of The Gap, J. Crew, and Banana Republic. He’s the legendary king of retail who put all those stores (and several others) on the map. These days he and his son have teamed up to build a new clothing brand called Alex Mill.Mickey is a hard-charging guy with plenty of conviction. When you listen to him, you remember just how compelling it is when a leader has a unique vision and really believes in it. But visionaries like Mickey usually don’t reach the heights they do unless they’re willing to break some rules along the way. You’ll be so inspired by all the stories he tells of times he had to go against the grain in order to see his vision through – including how he helped Steve Jobs shape the timeless clean aesthetic of the very first Apple store.If you’re a rule breaker yourself, you’re going to love this. And if you’re not, you may just want to become one after you listen! You’ll also learn: Tips for eliciting great creative marketing and advertising work How to go through the firing process with decency and integrity Why you need to develop an inner circle of trusted partners  The most important person you need to talk to if you work in retail 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.

Today’s guest is Stephen MR Covey. As the CEO of Covey Leadership Center, he built the largest leadership development company in the world, and orchestrated the successful merger of Franklin Covey. He’s also the New York Times bestselling author of the excellent book, Speed of Trust.If you’ve ever felt like your business just doesn’t move fast enough, you’re going to love this conversation.Stephen believes there’s one secret ingredient in a business that can help a team move faster and be more successful.That secret ingredient is trust. And it makes sense, right? If our team members feel like they’re always jumping through hoops and being micromanaged, they’re never going to do their best work. And they’re certainly not going to work quickly.As leaders, it’s up to us to extend that trust to our teams so they can go out and do amazing things. That’s easier said than done, though! How can we trust our teams more while still minimizing risk and keeping people accountable? Stephen is going to help us learn to extend trust the right way. You’ll also learn: Three ingredients that can build trust on a team – starting in a single day Why a team with stark differences can be an advantage instead of a liability Tips to navigate the risks associated with extending trust The surprising risks of not trusting people (and how you can avoid them) 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.

Today’s guest is Milind Pant, CEO of Amway. Amway is the largest direct selling company in the world, with over ONE MILLION independent business owners – a.k.a. entrepreneurs.Milind has tapped into something that’s helping him grow as a leader AND helping his entrepreneurs at Amway grow their businesses.That secret ingredient is community.We all want to do business with people we know and trust.But the big question is … as leaders, how do we build those relationships in today’s digital landscape? How can we develop that sense of community with our customers?If you’re not sure, listen to this episode. There is a wealth of wisdom and inspiration here to help you build trust by building community.You’ll also learn: A proven blueprint to set yourself up for success in any new role The opportunity awaiting when social media and e-commerce intersect The most dangerous thing to avoid in leadership, especially in seasons of big change How to differentiate your business from a huge competitive force like Amazon 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.

Today’s guest is Cathy Engelbert, the first Commissioner of the WNBA. She is a trailblazer, having also served as the first-ever female CEO of Deloitte. But the WNBA is a whole new challenge. She is leading with an incredible drive, using her “players first” philosophy to take women’s sports to the next level.Cathy knows how to get big things done – and as you’ll hear, it’s often the small things that matter more than we realize. Plus: don’t miss the story of the incredible two-hour conversation Cathy got to have with the late Kobe Bryant.You’ll also learn: How to build consensus by building relationships One practical strategy you can use in a new role to create trust with your team  Hard-won advice for aspiring young leaders, especially women What it’s like behind the scenes of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement 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.

Today’s guest is John “Spider” Miller, a legendary amateur golfer who captained the US team in the 2015 and 2017 Walker Cup.If you have never seen the Walker Cup, it’s a biennial competition where leading amateur golfers of the US go head to head with the best amateurs from Great Britain and Ireland.In both his golf game and his career as a beer distributor, Spider is living proof of the power of responsibility. When we diligently focus on our own duties – and then trust others with theirs – we can accomplish amazing things.Listen to this episode for timeless leadership wisdom, plus some great stories about golf legends like Fuzzy Zoeller, Arnold Palmer, and more.You’ll also learn: The #1 mindset you need to succeed as a franchisee  What to look for when you hire if you want to build a trustworthy team The small but powerful trait that speaks volumes about someone’s character Why giving your team responsibility is one of your key roles as a leader 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.

Today’s guest is Daniel Lubetzky, Founder of KIND Snacks – which is the fastest growing snack brand in the world.It’s not every day that you can find a snack that’s healthy AND tasty. But as you’re going to hear in this conversation, Daniel is really good at finding a way to advance two seemingly contradictory goals, and it’s been a game changer for both his business and his life.He calls it the philosophy of “AND.” With this insight, you can maximize value with every decision you make. Listen to this conversation to see how you can apply it. Oh, and don’t miss the behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to be a shark on Shark Tank! You’ll also learn: The #1 trait that levels the playing field for small companies against larger competitors Indispensable advice for anyone thinking about expanding into a new category How to build a culture where your team isn’t afraid to disagree with you What it really means to be kind (and why it’s different than just being nice) 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.

Today’s guest is Donna Barton Brothers, the COO of Starlight Racing. She also just happens to be one of the most decorated female jockeys in the horse industry and the leading on-track television broadcaster for NBC.If you watch the Kentucky Derby, she’s the reporter at the winner’s circle, riding her horse backward as she talks to the winning jockey in the moments after the race. Now that takes some talent!But that’s not the only thing that makes Donna remarkable. She is full of insight into what it takes to win. And as you’ll hear in this conversation, there are so many parallels between how jockeys get the most out of their horses and how we as leaders can get the most out of our teams. You’ll also learn: The importance of understanding your own unique gifts and niche skills Why you can be an influential leader even if you don’t have a large team What elite race horses can teach us about leading teams to victory An indispensable piece of advice for anyone who speaks to the media 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.

Here is part two of my conversation with Fred Ridley, Chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club.If you haven’t had a chance to listen to part one yet, stop and do that first.It’s not easy to preserve the incredible tradition of a place like Augusta National while also making sure you’re moving into the future with new ideas. That tension between tradition and new ideas is something we can probably all relate to.But Fred is surrounded by an incredible team that he genuinely loves being around and learning from. And that’s at the heart of how he leads: he puts people before processes. His team members come first, because they’re the ones who are going to make the experience for patrons and players and guests the legendary experience Augusta is known for. They also have the ideas that are going to pave the way forward. Fred shares a lot of strategies for how we, too, can put people before processes.You’ll also learn: The key mentality you need to preserve an organization’s tradition while also blazing new trails Practical tips to speak to the press (or anyone who asks you tough questions) A surprising way to develop your organization’s core values – and why it’s so much more effective than the traditional method  One small thing you can do at the start of every meeting that will boost team morale 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.

Today’s guest is Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, and the man behind the Masters.Fred has so much love and respect for the game of golf, and he’s quite a player himself – he won the 1975 US Amateur and competed in a few Masters tournaments.But after a successful career as a commercial lawyer and overseeing the Masters Championship Committee for ten years, Fred took over as Chairman in 2017. It’s never easy to step into a high-profile role, especially when it comes with the responsibility of a legendary brand and event like the Masters.But he’s up for the challenge, leading with a smart eye for detail and a big heart for people. And he’s shaping an incredible vision for the future of Augusta National while upholding the history and tradition that makes it so special.You’re going to learn so much about how he balances those two things – and how every decision he makes is really all about the people around him, not just the processes of the organization. In part one of this two-part conversation, you’ll learn:  The mentality that helped Fred become the surprise champion of the 1975 US Amateur What Fred learned about leadership after a controversial ruling involving Tiger Woods The inspiring story behind launching the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (and how it can inspire you to launch a new initiative) One key trait of any worthwhile community involvement effort 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.