How Leaders Lead with David Novak

Latest Episodes:

#65: Dave Calhoun, Boeing CEO & President—Restoring Stability in a Crisis Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

Today's guest is Dave Calhoun, the President and CEO of Boeing, the largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners Defense, Space and security systems. Dave joined Boeing as CEO in January of 2020, and little did he know the challenges that he’d be up against only a couple months later, when COVID hit. But what Dave has shown is the great leaders restore stability in the midst of a crisis. When we are thrown a right hook that we don't expect when things are a bit chaotic, we look to great leaders to show us how we should think and behave. Now what you're going to hear in this interview is how Dave helped Boeing navigate not only COVID and the massive impact that it had on the airline industry, but also how Boeing has handled the situation of their 737 Max, which was banned from flying passengers due to two plane crashes in 2018 and 19. Now it takes a strong leader to navigate those situations and restore stability on the other side.

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.

#64: Will Ahmed, WHOOP Founder & CEO—Prioritize the Right Data Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

Today's guest is Will Ahmed, the Founder and CEO of WHOOP, a wearable fitness tracker that measures a few key metrics to help top athletes and everyday consumers achieve peak performance. You're going to learn that Will is an incredibly sharp young leader. Believe it or not, he's in his early 30s, running a company that was recently valued at $3.6 billion. Running a company at that level requires a whole other level of discipline, when it comes to focusing in on what truly matters. If you want to keep your business healthy, no matter what size a company you lead, it's imperative that you measure and keep your eyes on a few vital metrics at all times.

You're going to learn:

How problems with athletic overtraining led to a company that helps monitor sleep
The hidden side of sleep and the WHOOP tracker
How WHOOP can compete with the Apple Watch
How simple metrics lead to better decision-making
How Will went from student athlete to company builder
How Will maintains steady focus through delegation and meditation
Why the WHOOP business model emulates Peloton instead of FitBit
How to “Growtain” your customers
How to be excellent in multiple complication industries at once
How WHOOP built promotion partnerships with top athletes and sports networks
How to find and develop people who are high intensity AND high humility
Why WHOOP pays its employees to sleep
PLUS Will’s best advice for entrepreneurs

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.

#63: The Best of 2021 Dec 30, 2021

Show notes

To round off 2021, today’s episode features six of David’s favorite insights from the year from leaders like Marvin Ellison, Indra Nooyi, and Tom Brady. You’re going to learn about how to react to overwhelming and scary situations with focus, confidence, planning, and communication. Plus, David will teach you his number one exercise for taking stock of where you are now in order to work towards where you want to go.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

David’s 3x5 exercise for self-evaluation going into a new year
Tom Brady’s model for clear, current communication with teammates
Niren Chaudhary’s process for bringing clarity and purpose to overwhelming situations
Indra Nooyi’s advice for balancing work and home life
Kara Goldin’s conviction about how to escape the bondage of fear in business
Andy Roddick’s ritual for staying focused to play point after point in tennis without losing it
Marvin Ellison’s story about learning to stand out as himself rather than blend in as someone else

Check out https://howleaderslead.com/best-of-2021/ for more great leadership insights, and go to https://howleaderslead.com/survey to share your great insights about the podcast!

#62: Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors Head Coach—Unlock the Power of Team Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

Today's guest is Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Earlier in his career as a player, Steve won three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls alongside the one and only Michael Jordan. He then went on to win two more titles playing for the San Antonio Spurs, and then he became a coach and won three more titles for the Warriors. Needless to say, this guy knows how to win, and he knows how to build teams that win. What you may be surprised to learn, though, is how he does it. The way Steve leads is by understanding the power of the team, from superstars to bench and everything in between. You're going to hear all about this on today's episode, as well as how you too can apply Steve's insights to whatever team you happen to be leading.

In this episode you'll learn:

Who Steve Kerr learned from in order to coach
Why joy matters in casting the vision for a team
What a great team player looks like
How to coach superstars and the bench
What it takes to rack up 300 passes a game
How to work past mental barriers to perform with excellence
How to motivate the team
How to delegate areas of weakness with strength
What Steve learned from playing with Lute Olson, Phil Jackson, and Gregg Popovich
Why Steve wanted to let the Warriors coach themselves one game
Who Steve would pick if Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant all came out in the draft in the same year
What Steve thinks about The Last Dance documentary
How Steve balances priorities at home and on the court

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.

#61: Eric Gleacher, Mergers and Acquisitions Business Pioneer—Take the Right Risks Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

From the United States Marine Corps to Wall Street, Eric Gleacher believes the world belongs to the aggressive. After one round of golf with the right person, the trajectory of his career changed as he pursued his dream of working in finance. After only four years at Lehman Brothers, Eric became a partner and was a large part of establishing the merger and acquisition department. Against the advice of many around him, Gleacher left Lehman Brothers to start his own firm. These risks and experiences have culminated in Gleacher’s book, Risk, Reward, Repeat. Listen as David and Eric discuss the indelible impact of the Marines, working with flawless integrity, and how to take the right risks.

in this conversation, you're going to learn:

The story behind Eric’s new book, Risk. Reward. Repeat
How golf helped Eric get to Wall Street
Where mergers and acquisitions all started
What the Marines taught Eric about confidence, integrity, and leadership
How to take risks in your career
How the My Nickel argument can transform your meetings with potential clients

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.

#60: Alexa von Tobel, Inspired Capital Founder & Managing Partner—Leading Through Uncertainty Dec 09, 2021

Show notes

A force of positivity and pioneer of Financial Technology, Alexa von Tobel felt so strongly about democratizing financial advice for Americans that she dropped out of Harvard business school to build her first business, LearnVest, in 2008. After revolutionizing digital financial services, she sold LearnVest the very same week that she gave birth to her first child. Now, Alexa von Tobel is the Managing Partner of Inspired Capital, a venture capital firm which she founded in 2019.

You'll also learn:

How growing up in a medical family and losing her Dad in high school prepared Alexa for life and leadership.
How studying the psychology of happiness prepared Alexa to quit business school during a Recession and start a finance education company.
What leaders can do to lead through uncertainty and stay sane, healthy, and fulfilled.
Why Alexa sold LearnVest to Northwestern Mutual and started a venture capital firm in New York City.
The fastest way to get “no” and “yes” when fundraising.
The importance of having people around you who believe in you, encourage you, and keep you accountable.
The one thing you need to do in order to succeed.

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.

#59: Scott Mahoney, Peter Millar Chairman & CEO—Go the Distance for Quality Dec 02, 2021

Show notes

Scott Mahoney, the Chairman and CEO of Peter Millar, goes the distance to for quality in how he shapes the brand and develops his people. Coming up in business, it wasn’t until Scott worked at Polo that he found his love for golf and apparel sales married in an exciting career. He was inspired to buy Peter Millar during the long drive back from a USGA meeting, and moved quickly to scale the brand up. Scott leads with attention to getting things done more efficiently by getting people excited to do them. For example, knowing that Peter Millar product can only be sold once store associates put it on the floor, Scott and his team designed the shipping arrangements to be intuitive for stockroom employees to handle. He even threw a mint in the shipping box to sweeten the deal. Scott was quick to bring nearly everything in house to ensure the quality of product, marketing, promotion, finance, and production, and has taken the apparel world by storm as a result.

SHOW NOTES

Peter Millar then and now
How Scott got into fashion and sales at Polo
How the crazy idea to buy Peter Millar became reality
Turning a golf sweater company into a lifestyle brand
Getting into Nordstrom and the trick to getting product from box to shelf
Getting into brick and mortar
Clothing the US President’s Cup golf team
Building an e-commerce business with the same great quality
Getting to the top and staying focused
Building a high-quality culture
Lightning Round

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.

#58: Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Orthopedic Surgeon—Why We Shouldn't Chase Passion Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Neal ElAttrache is a renowned American orthopedic surgeon best known as the Lead Physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Rams — as well as his patents and innovation in sports medicine. As a leader, Neal believes strongly in the three “A’s” — Affability, Availability, and Ability. Listen as David and Neal discuss why chasing passion is a sure way to set yourself up for failure and burnout, and that there’s something better to chase.

Show Notes

Intro
Finding joy in performing Tommy Johns surgery
Growing up to become a surgeon
Pursuing purpose over passion in your career
How to think critically and sensitively as a surgeon
What it's like serving as team physician for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Dodgers
Working with Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Torre, NFL coach Sean McVeigh, golfer Brooks Koepka, and the legendary Tom Brady
How to be mentored and mentor others
Lightning Round
Advice for aspiring leaders

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.

#57: Rob Light, Creative Artists Agency Managing Partner—Learn to Listen Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

Every leader knows how important listening is. But how often do we break it down and try to understand what it actually means to be a good listener?

Today’s guest, Rob Light, can really help us answer that question. He’s the Managing Partner of Creative Artists Agency, the world’s largest talent and sports agency. As the head of their music division, he has represented some huge names like Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Prince, Dua Lipa, and more.

Being a good listener is key to Rob’s success – from landing new clients, striking great deals, mentoring young talent. He knows how to be present, ask questions, and genuinely care about the answers.

This conversation is the perfect reminder that we can accomplish so much more as leaders when we learn to listen.

You’ll also learn:

One practical strategy you can ask to close deals decisively and get a win-win
How to spot opportunities and holes in the market
The power of giving credit to your team – and how it helps you win, too
Practical strategies for getting more meaningful responses when you communicate

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.

#56: Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo Former Chairman & CEO—The Future of Work, Family, and Life Oct 28, 2021

Show notes

How do leaders navigate conversations about the challenges parents, and especially women, face in the workplace? The first step is to simply have the conversation and get the shared perspectives of men and women. In this special episode from the How Leaders Lead Insight Series, Ashley Novak Butler, the Executive Director of the Lift-a-Life Foundation, interviews her dad, David, and Indra Nooyi about Indra’s new New York Times best-selling book, My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future. Indra shares her story about growing up in India and the support she had to pursue her career while being a devoted mom, and the challenges she faced that she wants to remove for women coming up behind her in business, including problems with HR, childcare, and even cobblestone paths.

0:00 | Show intro

2:16 | The story behind Indra Nooyi’s memoir, and why work-life balance is the wrong goal.

9:48 | Upbringing: What Indra and David learned from their families that equipped them for future success, and how to extend those benefits to others.

16:42 | Coming up next week… Rob Light, Managing Partner of Creative Artists Agency

24:39 | How to set expectations for juggling the priorities of work and family with your spouse in order to have a fulfilling marriage.

35:15 | The surprising link between Mom guilt and the perfection gene.

40:01 | Expanding the presence of women in leadership.

46:26 | Advice for dealing with condescending behavior towards women.

49:47 | How to protect your reputation and health in business.

55:10 | Insights on mentorship and advocating for talent in general and women in particular.

58:51 | How to improve human resources to better serve all talent, and the implications of how two different people viewed the same cobblestone pathway.

1:08:48 | How to help women re-enter the workforce.

1:11:07 | Family lightning round

1:13:01 | How to make work-family life work.

1:14:45 | Farewell

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.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected