How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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**How Leaders Lead with 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.

Latest Episodes:

3 More Questions (Hayes Barnard) with David Novak and Koula Callahan Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:

What do you think about Hayes' belief that adversity is his advantage?
What’s a story from your career where you had to lean on the company’s purpose to get the business back on track?
What is it that you love so much about being from the Midwest?

———

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!

#230: Hayes Barnard, Founder & CEO of GoodLeap – Purpose creates connection Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

If you think “purpose” is just a bland little word for your mission statement, don’t miss this episode with Hayes Barnard, the founder, Chairman, and CEO of GoodLeap, which helps homeowners finance upgrades that make their homes more sustainable.

Listen and see how purpose is a powerful force that helps you make connections, build teams, and drive more innovation.

You’ll also learn:

What he learned about marketing from Elon Musk
Why feeling like an underdog might be your biggest advantage
The mindset you need to keep pushing, even after success
The AI lifehack that’s like having “a genius in your pocket”

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 day

Whichever 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.

Connect with David:

Keep Up with David on LinkedIn

Follow David on Twitter

The How Leaders Lead Instagram

View insightful clips on TikTok

Watch full interviews on YouTube

Get the USA Today Bestselling Book "How Leaders Learn"

3 More Questions (Glenn Fogel) with David Novak and Koula Callahan Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:

What is your favorite travel story?
What’s your stance on finding the balance between being centralized versus decentralized when you have multiple brands under the same roof? Which is better?
What do you think about Glenn's quote, "In god we trust … everyone else bring data”?

———

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!

#229: Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings (Booking.com, Kayak, Priceline, OpenTable) – Know what you don’t know Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Great companies aren’t built by ego. They’re built by leaders who ask questions, listen, and rely on the smart people around them.

And this episode’s guest is one of those leaders! Glenn Fogel is the CEO of Booking Holdings, the company behind big travel brands like Booking dot com, Kayak, Priceline, and OpenTable.

Having been at the company for 25 years, Glenn’s got a lot of experience to draw on. Yet he’s the first to admit when something isn’t his area of expertise. And instead of guessing, he trusts the experts on his team to guide the way.

If you want to know the secret to staying humble and building an engaged team, hit play and discover the power of knowing what you don’t know!

You’ll also learn:

The importance of data (with one big caveat)
How to push for innovation in a successful, established company
The #1 mistake companies make after an international acquisition
The mindset you need for painful decisions

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 day

Whichever 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.

Connect with David:

Keep Up with David on LinkedIn

Follow David on Twitter

The How Leaders Lead Instagram

View insightful clips on TikTok

Watch full interviews on YouTube

Get the USA Today Bestselling Book "How Leaders Learn"

3 More Questions (Lynsi Snyder) with David Novak and Koula Callahan Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:

Tell us about the idea of customer mania and how you cascaded it throughout all of Yum.
How do you think about emotional distance among a team?
How do you view In-N-Out's decision to not offer mobile ordering … I mean, if you were President, what would you do?

———

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!

#228: Lynsi Snyder, Owner and President of In-N-Out Burger – Loyalty is a two-way street Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Every business wants loyal customers. But what does it mean to be loyal to your customers?

Find out in this episode with Lynsi Snyder, the Owner and President of In-N-Out Burger.

Go behind the scenes of this iconic brand and learn how you can boost loyalty in your business.

Plus, In-N-Out is a family-owned company. And if you’ve ever worked with your family, you know things can get messy. Lynsi’s got a lot of hard-won wisdom to help you navigate those situations with confidence and grace.

You’ll also learn:

One big reason your messages aren’t getting through to your team
What makes a “good” idea not so good
Wisdom for anyone who works with their family
Why In-N-Out doesn’t offer mobile ordering—and the leadership lesson behind it

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 day

Whichever 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.

3 More Questions (Ken Bacon) with David Novak and Koula Callahan Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:

Tell us a story about a time from your career where you had to lead through a crisis and what you learned from that experience.
How would you coach someone to get comfortable with asking for business?
Can you unpack what Ken says about the biggest impediment to good risk management is imagination?

———

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!

#227: Ken Bacon, Cofounder and Managing Partner at RailField Partners – Trust is a form of currency Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

One of your most valuable currencies isn’t money, talent, or even time.

It’s trust.

See how it can power better partnerships and more opportunities in this episode with Ken Bacon, Cofounder and Managing Partner at Railfield Partners and former Executive VP at Fannie Mae.

If you want to see how to build trust, extend it wisely, and see it return to you, then hit play now!

You’ll also learn:

A negotiation strategy you probably haven’t heard before
Two qualities of leaders who make good decisions
Why your assumptions might be endangering your business
The one thing no one tells you about success

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 day

Whichever 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.

3 More Questions (Allan Thygesen) with David Novak and Koula Callahan Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:

How would you go about offering coaching?
Where did you learn to be a great salesperson?
How did you and do you stay visible as a leader?

———

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!

#226: Allan Thygesen, CEO of Docusign – Everyone’s a salesperson Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Today’s guest is Allan Thygesen, the CEO of Docusign. Before that, he led Google’s $100 billion advertising business in North and South America.

In this conversation, you’ll get a front row seat to how he approaches technology and innovation—including his advice for integrating AI into your business.

Plus, he’s got an outlook on sales you need to hear. If selling makes you a little uncomfortable, don’t worry! Listen to this conversation and learn how to embrace that role—and why you can’t overlook it if you want other people to follow you.

You’ll also learn:

Practical advice to integrate AI into your business
The two most important factors for a startup
Why what seemed like “chaos” at Google was actually key to innovation
How to make your team more well rounded

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 day

Whichever 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.

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