Episodios

  • TLP484: Balancing Innovation with Human Connection

    TLP484: Balancing Innovation with Human Connection
    Nov 5 2025
    Brandon Sawalich is the President and CEO of Starkey, leading 6,000 employees across 29 countries in the hearing healthcare industry. In this episode, Brandon addresses how healthcare leaders balance innovation with human connection. He explains that hearing health requires both cutting-edge AI technology and personalized care from healthcare professionals. He shares leadership lessons from guiding Starkey's transformation into a global brand while preserving its family culture. Brandon discusses how to maintain core values while under pressure to prioritize patient outcomes over stock market demands. Listen to this episode to discover how Brandon leads with purpose in an industry that transforms lives, balances innovation with human connection, and maintains company culture during global growth. You can find episode 484 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Brandon Sawalich on Balancing Innovation with Human Connection https://bit.ly/TLP-484 Key Takeaways [05:01] When asked about balancing innovation with human elements in healthcare, Brandon explains hearing technology has evolved from analog whistling devices to AI-powered solutions, noting "We were the first to pioneer using AI back in 2000, starting in 2017 and we're in our eighth generation now." [07:01] Brandon outlines leadership challenges in managing multiple stakeholders, emphasizing "What's best for the patient is best for our customer is best for Starkey." [08:26] When asked about protecting culture while growing globally, Brandon explains his approach: "We hire for attitude and develop the talent because that attitude has to fit within the Starkey culture." [10:04] Brandon describes their training philosophy as "the Starkey way," emphasizing mentoring over traditional training programs and stating "I want one way" rather than multiple programs. [12:14] When asked about balancing kindness with results, Brandon explains his leadership approach: "I work for you. We all have to hold each other accountable." [14:21] Brandon defines being "the best" in their industry by focusing on sound quality and ease of use, explaining "to be the best is yes, you have to run an efficient company" and have "the best sounding sound quality hearing aid in the world." [15:41] Brandon reveals the hearing aid industry structure: "The hearing aid industry is made up of five companies in the world. Starkey is the only US owned and operated." [16:56] When asked what makes him the best leader, Brandon emphasizes accessibility and continuous learning, stating "I'm always available to the team if they need it" and "I'm always curious." [19:58] When asked about being overwhelmed, Brandon explains he's not overwhelmed because "I love this company. I've been here 31 years and I'm honored to have the job." [24:06] Brandon shares pivotal experiences that shaped his leadership, including leading industry advocacy in Washington D.C. from 2017 and navigating COVID-19 challenges. [30:53] When asked about daily improvement, Brandon identifies time management as key: "my time management and am I spending, you know, the time on, you know, 20% of the things that are going to make an 80% impact for the company." [33:05] Brandon concludes with parting counsel for leaders: "Don't be a blockbuster. Push yourself. You know, innovate or die" and emphasizes "complacency kills." [34:19] And remember…"I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind, yet strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers" - Khalil Gibran. Quotable Quotes "It's not just about sound and amplifying sound. You have to personalize and customize something in a very personal business because you have to care and hearing healthcare professionals have to care about the patient in front of them and it's better hearing with a human touch." "You have to make your mistakes. You have to fail in order to improve yourself and move forward. You know, if you're going to fail fast." "If you got somebody that's not the right fit, you know, you have to be able to have the courage to hit that head on and make change." "It's not about coming up and say, well, you didn't produce this much. We need to sit down and talk. It's kind of sitting down and a little bit of a human approach. Common sense is, hey, tell me what's going on." "I'm not going to ask anybody to do anything that I wouldn't do myself. And I'll get a cup of coffee, I'll pick somebody up at the airport, whatever it takes. Because again, that's the team approach and very much lead from the front." "You got to be comfortable being uncomfortable." "Don't lose sleep over the competition, lose sleep over are we making progress or not? Are we getting better? Because complacency kills." "Don't be blockbuster. Push yourself. You know, innovate or die. And you've got to have the courage to change because change management. People's afraid of change." Resources Mentioned...
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    35 m
  • TLP483: People Must Feel Valued Before They Can Add Value

    TLP483: People Must Feel Valued Before They Can Add Value
    Oct 29 2025
    Zach Mercurio is a researcher, and optimist instructor who specializes in purposeful leadership and meaningful work. He is the author of "The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance," that reveals the psychological foundation that drives human energy and performance in organizations. Zach addresses why 60% of employees don't feel cared for at work and how this creates a mattering deficit leading to quiet quitting or toxic behaviors. He discusses the Optimism course he created with Simon Sinek, which focuses on developing human skills that show people their significance so they believe they can improve any situation. Zach reveals the three essential dimensions people need: feeling noticed (seen and heard), affirmed (their uniqueness makes a difference), and needed (relied upon and indispensable). He explains how organizations can maintain purpose as "the invisible leader" despite quarterly pressures, emphasizing that people won't contribute to bigger purposes until they first believe they're worthy of having one. Listen to discover why the age of AI makes human connection skills irreplaceable and learn the counterintuitive truth that people must feel valued before they can add value. You can find episode 483 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Zach Mercurio on People Must Feel Valued Before They Can Add Value https://bit.ly/TLP-483 Key Takeaways [05:59] Zach defines mattering as feeling significant through being valued and adding unique value. [08:05] Zach explains human energy comes from knowing we matter, with research showing lower cortisol in those who feel significant. [11:15] Zach describes the "mattering wheel" where feeling valued builds confidence to add value. [13:56] Zach notes 40% of feedback fails because people don't feel cared for by the giver. [18:54] Zach outlines "wise feedback": express belief, reaffirm capabilities, offer support. [22:12] Zach defines optimism as believing you can improve moments and explains how digital communication created human skills gaps. [29:22] Zach emphasizes only humans take moral responsibility while noting only 40% feel cared for at work. [33:22] Zach positions matter as a prerequisite to purpose - people must feel cared for before caring about work. [36:12] Zach advises asking "When you feel you matter to me, what am I doing?" and outlines three practices: noticed, affirmed, needed. [38:08] Zach states "hurry and care cannot coexist" and suggests using meetings for relationships, not information exchange. [42:17] Zach explains these "soft" skills need rigorous practice as attention spans dropped to 47 seconds and leadership requires separate human skills. [46:19] Zach challenges leaders to master human skills because leadership is a separate occupation requiring separate skills. [48:20] And remember…"The business of business is relationships; the business of life is human connection." - Robin S. Sharma Quotable Quotes "It's almost impossible for anything to matter to someone who doesn't first believe that they matter." "All human energy is an outcome of knowing that we matter." "The ultimate energizer is knowing that you and your life and your work are worthy of your energy." "We don't build confidence on our own. We build true confidence when we know someone has our back." "People need to be valued to add value." "Feeling valued gives us the confidence we need to add value. The more we add value, the more we see the evidence of our significance, the more we feel valued." "Hurry and care cannot coexist." "When leaders can't connect, they usually try to control. We try to control what we don't understand." "Loneliness is not the outcome of being alone. Loneliness is the outcome of feeling that you don't matter." "It's the quality of the interaction that matters, not the quantity when it comes to loneliness." "People will not care until they feel cared for." "Leadership is a separate occupation. It is a separate occupation that requires a separate set of skills." "Optimism is the belief that the future can be better and that I have what it takes to make it better." "AI will take your job if you do not master the human skills to cultivate trust and care." "The heart of leadership is to inspire." "Feedback without a relationship comes across as aggression." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Zach Mercurio Website | www.zachmercurio.com Zach Mercurio Facebook | www.facebook.com/ZMercurio Zach Mercurio LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/zachmercurio Zach Mercurio Instagram | @zachmercurio Essential Skills to Create a Culture of Mattering - Zach Mercurio
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    49 m
  • TLP482: The 100 Best Books for Work and Life

    TLP482: The 100 Best Books for Work and Life
    Oct 22 2025
    Todd Sattersten brings over 20 years of experience in nonfiction book publishing, and is the author of "The 100 Best Books for Work and Life." He's also the publisher at Bard Press and has dedicated his career to helping leaders navigate the overwhelming world of business literature. In this episode, Todd reveals how he curated 100 essential books into 25 problem-focused chapters, moving beyond traditional business categories to address both professional and personal challenges leaders face. He explains why growth comes from believing change is possible and how daily effort accumulates into meaningful progress. Todd discusses the shift from data-heavy business books toward more introspective, permission-giving literature that acknowledges the chaotic nature of modern leadership. Todd discusses the difficulty of finding quality fiction with positive leadership examples and his preference for books that help readers ask different questions rather than provide step-by-step formulas. Todd concludes by stressing the importance of reading with intention, distinguishing between reading for entertainment versus insight, and building sustainable reading habits that focus on addressing real challenges rather than collecting impressive quotes. Listen to discover how to navigate information overload, identify truly transformative books, and develop the reading habits that separate effective leaders from those who simply accumulate knowledge. You can find episode 482 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Todd Sattersten on The 100 Best Books for Work and Life https://bit.ly/TLP-482 Key Takeaways [03:42] Todd explains his selection process started with 60-70 known books, then Todd describes how the 25 topics emerged naturally from the books themselves - goal setting, habits, leadership, relationships, motivation. [06:48] Todd identifies two key patterns to accumulate people's consistent actions: "growth comes from the belief that change is possible" and "daily effort matters." [13:28] Todd explains that great books redefine problems to create different solutions, citing examples like focusing on better customers rather than better products. [16:02] Todd reveals he's nervous about trendy books, especially about companies or leaders that don't hold up over time. [20:51] Todd believes people recognize tremendous value in listening to work others have already done, whether from Stoics, Buddhists, or other traditions. [23:50] Todd emphasizes reading requires choosing between entertainment versus insight, asking "how will I act differently after reading this." [27:03] Todd explains the data-heavy book trend came from 30 years of neuroscience research but now sees a shift toward permission-giving books. [31:50] Todd identifies "Your Brain at Work" by David Rock as his top pick for explaining brain function limitations. [35:40] Todd describes "Reboot" by Jerry Colonna as transformative for connecting personal stories to leadership effectiveness. [39:17] Todd concludes by encouraging leaders to "build a habit of reading" since most successful leaders are readers. [40:09] And remember…"The things I want to know are in books. My best friend is the man who will get me a book I ain't read." - Abraham Lincoln. Quotable Quotes "Growth comes from the belief that change is possible." "Daily effort matters." "A different way to define the problem creates a different way to solve the problem." "If you don't understand the stories that you have about yourself, then you can't possibly be the best possible leader." "Fiction can provide a really great perspective." "The work is internal most of the time. It's not, hey, I need to go fix some business thing." "Leadership is a journey of growth." "A book still does something that almost every other art form doesn't do." "The people who understand the value of books understand there's a tremendous value in listening to the work others have already done." "Identifying a set of effective solutions… that's what leaders need." "Please build a habit of reading. I can't think of a better habit for a leader." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Todd Sattersten Website | http://toddsattersten.com Todd Sattersten LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/toddsattersten Todd Sattersten Instagram | @toddsattersten
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    41 m
  • TLP481: The New Language of Leadership with Michael Ventura

    TLP481: The New Language of Leadership with Michael Ventura
    Oct 15 2025
    Michael Ventura is an entrepreneur, author of "Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership", and advisor to leaders at organizations including the ACLU, Google, Nike, and the UN. He has taught emotionally intelligent leadership at Princeton, West Point, and Esalen. In this episode, Michael explores why our natural childhood empathy fades as adults due to life complexity, cultural conditioning, and survival mechanisms that suppress this innate behavior. He explains how organizational design can create systems where empathy thrives through measurement, rewards, and leadership modeling rather than trying to change people individually. Michael outlines seven empathetic archetypes that leaders can shift between like gears: the Sage (practices presence), Inquirer (asks great questions), Convener (creates connection environments), Confidant (builds trust), Cultivator (provides vision), Seeker (values self-work), and Alchemist (experiments and learns). He emphasizes knowing when to shift archetypes based on circumstances and people. He addresses why leaders struggle to guide rather than control, explaining how successful leaders must transition from having answers to asking questions and empowering others. Michael explains empathy's benefits through a GE medical imaging case study where understanding patient experience led to environmental changes that cut pain complaints in half and increased cancer detection by over 10%. Listen to this episode to discover how empathy drives retention, innovation, and competitive advantage while serving as both leadership skill and business strategy. You can find episode 481 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Michael Ventura on The New Language of Leadership https://bit.ly/TLP-481 Key Takeaways [02:19] Michael explains that empathy fades as we age because life beats it out of us in some ways. [05:10] Michael outlines three types of empathy: affective (golden rule), somatic (physical experience), and cognitive (platinum rule). [07:27] Michael emphasizes that empathy must be embraced and modeled as a behavior from the top all the way down. Michael warns that empathy requires a code of ethics because "sociopaths are good cognitive empaths." [10:11] Michael clarifies that his keynote's first slide always says empathy is not about being nice. [13:06] Michael describes seven empathic archetypes as "gears in a manual transmission" that leaders should shift between. [19:05] Michael advises leaders to ask "How do you learn? How are you motivated?" to diagnose which archetype to use. [22:18] Michael states "Leaders should only do what an individual or team cannot do for itself" because leaders must transition from having all the answers to asking the right questions. [23:47] Michael shares that West Point teaches empathy because officers must lead people from "every socioeconomic stripe imaginable." [29:07] Michael cites retention as a hard benefit, noting it costs "1 1/2 times the salary" to replace someone. [35:54] Michael shares what he wandered; he's writing a book about moving from "North Star thinking to constellation thinking" for purpose. [38:33] Michael observes society lost its "emotional commons" where everyone shared the same cultural experiences. [42:17] Michael advises leaders to start empathy work "where the need is the greatest" rather than organization-wide. [43:42] And remember..."I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it." - Maya Angelou Quotable Quotes "Life beats it out of us in some ways." "We start to see ourselves as the main character a little too much sometimes and forget that there are other characters in the play all around us." "Do unto others as they would have you do unto them. And the only way you're going to know that answer is if you do two things that most humans don't want to do. Admit they don't have an answer and then go ask the uncomfortable question." "Sometimes the most empathic thing that you do is say the hard thing or do the hard thing for someone else." "Stop trying to be the most interesting person in the room and start trying to be the most interested person in the room." "Leaders should only do what an individual or team cannot do for itself." "Don't tell people what to do. Tell them what outcome you want and let them surprise you with how they get it done." "When something is powerful and something is effective, just recognize it can be used for bad as well." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com TLP389: Worry is a Misuse of Imagination with Harris III Michael Ventura Website | www.michaelventura.co Michael Ventura X | @michaelventura Michael Ventura Facebook | www.facebook.com/themichaelventura Michael Ventura LinkedIn | ...
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    45 m
  • TLP480: Number One Factor for Changing Team Behaviors with Tamara Myles

    TLP480: Number One Factor for Changing Team Behaviors with Tamara Myles
    Oct 8 2025
    Tamara Myles is a speaker, professor, and co-author of "Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee." She specializes in the science of human flourishing at work and serves as faculty at Boston College and the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode, Tamara challenges the biggest misconception leaders hold about purpose and productivity. She explains how leaders often view these as opposing forces, when research shows they actually create a virtuous cycle that drives engagement, performance, and innovation. Tamara emphasizes that self-awareness through intentional reflection time is essential for productivity, as leaders who carve out solitude to think strategically can better connect their work to meaningful impact. Tamara shares insights from studying positive outlier organizations and leaders who excel at creating meaningful work environments. She identifies role modeling as the number one factor that moves the needle in changing team behavior and performance. Discover how purpose and productivity work together to create high-performing teams that feel fulfilled in their work. You can find episode 480 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Tamara Myles on Number One Factor for Changing Team Behaviors https://bit.ly/TLP-480 Key Takeaways [02:53] Tamara explains the biggest misconception is that purpose and productivity "are at odds with each other" when they "create a virtuous cycle." [03:49] Tamara confirms leaders are responsible for 48% of our experience of meaning at work. [05:51] Tamara outlines her framework of three pillars: community, contribution, and challenge. [10:30] Tamara emphasizes that "clarity around values" is foundational to meaningful work. [12:49] Tamara highlights that reflection is actually a huge part of creating that meaning at work. [15:40] Tamara explains that bad management habits get passed down from generation to generation. [18:49] Tamara identifies "role modeling the behaviors" as "the number one needle mover." [21:48] Tamara confirms that alignment between spoken values and actual behaviors is huge. [25:57] Tamara explains to work on things that are important but not urgent yet. [30:02] Tamara defines community as "do I matter here," contribution as "does what I do matter," and challenge as "does my growth matter here." [32:29] Tamara shares that Americans are "much more achievement driven" while Brazilians are "much more relational." [36:38] Tamara explains workplaces are one of the last places where people from different backgrounds still come together. Tamara discusses that what really matters is how they design the time that they are together. Tamara connects consequences to "going back to clarity and expectations. [42:44] Tamara closes with three daily questions: "who did I connect with," "is something better in the world," and "did I learn something today." [44:44] And remember…"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." - Rumi Quotable Quotes "Purpose is a symptom." "Clear is kind." "Reflection is actually a huge part of creating that meaning at work." "These bad management habits get passed down from generation to generation." "The number one needle mover is role modeling the behaviors that they want to see." "Alignment between spoken values and then actual behaviors is huge." "We are all humans. We are fallible. Nobody's perfect." "Our workplaces are one of the last places where people from different backgrounds with different ideologies, different beliefs, different skills, maybe different languages, you know, still come together to work on a common goal. What really matters is how they design the time that they are together." "We can have discipline without being rigid." "Every meeting is a decision support system." "Sometimes you need to be direct and you need to be, you know, quick thinking and acting and sometimes you need to be patient." "People just don't know how to run meetings. People don't know how to do the basics of like, follow up and all that. It's just, it's really epidemic bad." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Tamara Myles Website | www.makeworkmeaningful.com Tamara Myles LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramyles Tamara Myles Instagram | @tamaramyles
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    46 m
  • TLP479: Make Work Fair with Siri Chilazi

    TLP479: Make Work Fair with Siri Chilazi
    Oct 1 2025
    Siri Chilazi is a senior researcher at the Women in Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School, and co-author of "Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results." She helps organizations bridge the gap between research and practice using evidence-based approaches to workplace fairness. In this episode, Siri explains why workplace fairness requires redesigning systems rather than changing people, demonstrating how structured processes like predetermined interview questions produce less biased results than open-ended conversations. She argues that organizations must analyze workforce data to reveal bias patterns in hiring, feedback quality, and career advancement, treating fairness metrics with the same rigor as financial data in business decisions. Siri presents evidence from studies showing that traditional diversity training fails to change actual behavior despite positive participant feedback. She recommends structural alternatives like specific performance evaluation prompts, automated feedback reminders, and technology tools that flag biased language in assessments. She advocates for opt-out promotion systems that automatically evaluate eligible employees rather than requiring them to self-advocate, sharing how this approach increased women and people of color's advancement rates. Siri outlines her three-part framework: "Make it Count" through data tracking, "Make it Stick" via small process tweaks, and "Make it Normal" by shaping workplace culture through individual actions and standards. Siri addresses resistance management by framing fairness discussions around business results rather than ideology, explaining how even skeptical leaders find evidence-based approaches make practical sense for organizational success. In this episode, you'll discover practical, evidence-based strategies for creating fairer workplaces through smart system design rather than individual behavior change. You can find episode 479 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Siri Chilazi on Make Work Fair https://bit.ly/TLP-479 Key Takeaways [03:21] Siri reveals it's much faster, easier, often cheaper, and more effective to change surrounding environments rather than individual brains. [04:59] Siri describes a more effective approach involving asking all candidates the same set of questions in the same order and assessing answers comparatively. [07:07] Siri confirms fairness was chosen intentionally because research shows it's a universally shared human value globally that fairness resonates with leaders because it's impossible to spot talent accurately without it. [09:52] Siri clarifies data can be a powerful engine for change only if actively harnessed and analyzed to reveal insights. [13:48] Siri outlines how organizations should ask whether employees get feedback of the same length and spend different amounts of time at given ranks before promotion. [16:15] Siri explains bias tends to creep into potential assessments because they're more subjective with less formal data. [17:39] Siri confirms more than half a century's worth of studies showing diversity training basically doesn't shift people's behavior making performance evaluation prompts more specific and close-ended as a more effective approach. [23:30] Siri describes opt-out systems where everyone meeting certain criteria gets automatically evaluated for promotion versus opt-in systems. [27:31] Siri explains how an Australian employer reduced the gender gap by telling rejected candidates they were in the top 20% of applicants. [30:16] Siri outlines her three-part framework: make it count, make it stick, and make it normal. [32:54] Siri identifies the biggest resistance that occurs when changes touch leaders' own everyday work directly. [34:01] Siri explains her core aspiration is to shift discussions about fairness from ideology and emotion to data and evidence. [39:44] Siri invites everyone to think of one thing in their daily work they could tweak slightly to make it more fair. [41:04] And remember…"Though force can protect in an emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace." - Dwight D. Eisenhower Quotable Quotes "Our behaviors are often shaped by the environments that surround us, right? The physical environments, but also the policies, the processes, the norms, the stereotypes, the culture, so to speak. And those external forces shape us to a much greater degree than we realize." "If we want to shift behaviors, it's much faster, easier, often cheaper, and most importantly, much more effective to change that surrounding environment, those systems and processes, rather than to try to change our individual brains." "There's a lot of research that shows that fairness is a universally shared human value globally. Right. People gravitate to fairness. Kids as young as 4 and 5 years old develop a really sophisticated understanding of fairness...
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    42 m
  • TLP478: The Consequences of Inaction with Nick Cooney

    TLP478: The Consequences of Inaction with Nick Cooney
    Sep 24 2025
    Nick Cooney is the founder and managing partner of Lever VC, an early stage fund focused on food and ag tech innovation. He also founded the Lever Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing a humane and sustainable food system, and authored "What We Don't Do: Inaction in the Face of Suffering and the Drive to Do More." In this episode, Nick tackles the Malthusian Trap debate and explains why more people face starvation today in raw numbers than ever before, despite technological advances in food production. He argues that capitalism alone cannot solve global food insecurity because it represents a complex systems problem requiring economic development, better governance, and philanthropic intervention beyond market mechanisms. Nick draws on evolutionary psychology to explain why people naturally care more about local issues than distant suffering, advocating for logic-based approaches to maximize impact. He emphasizes that organizational success breeds engagement more than empowerment structures, warning that flattened organizations often create accountability confusion and poor decision-making when people lack necessary expertise. Nick stresses that leaders should focus on helping teams achieve clear, meaningful results rather than prioritizing feel-good management approaches that may undermine actual effectiveness. Listen to this episode to explore how leaders can address complex global challenges while building more effective and engaged organizations. You can find episode 478 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Nick Cooney on The Consequences of Inaction https://bit.ly/TLP-478 Key Takeaways [02:17] Nick reveals something not found online that he practices what he preaches by donating a large portion of his annual income to support efforts that reduce suffering in the world. [03:03] Nick explains the struggle with food distribution despite production advances noting that while technology has made food production more efficient there are more people living in extreme poverty and facing starvation today than hundreds of years ago due to raw population growth. [06:45] Nick outlines why investment money sometimes goes to the wrong places explaining there is a fadish nature to venture capital where certain things get in fashion plus ag-tech innovation is often slower to be adopted than other technologies and faces regulatory challenges. [10:26] Nick addresses why capitalism has not solved world hunger stating that while there has been good progress with the percentage of global population in extreme poverty trending down free markets alone are not going to be a full solution. [14:38] Nick explains what drives people to care about issues noting that humans are descended from apes optimized for survival in pre-Agrarian life giving us strong instincts to care about those close to us but having far less concern for those out of sight. [19:16] Nick clarifies his focus is not specifically on hunger but on animal suffering because he spends most of his time on animal suffering since it is an area where there is huge amounts of extreme suffering that does not have to be there. [22:05] Nick discusses managing teams in impact-focused organizations explaining he has been fortunate that his entities were working in areas with clear positive impact so people were attracted to work there because of the positive impact they knew they were having. [27:20] Nick agrees with concerns about flattening organizations stating that excessive flatness can lead to suboptimal results because people may not have the expertise to make smart decisions and it can make empowered people feel discouraged when they fail. [30:49] Nick confirms the abundance-scarcity parallel in organizational design explaining that companies flush with cash get very fat with higher burn rates while cash-tight companies are forced into much smarter decision making by economic necessity. [33:44] Nick explains the impact of inaction in corporate settings noting there is a huge bias towards focusing on what we are doing ethically rather than consequences of inaction but today the biggest harms are caused by failing to put time, money or mental energy into helping those facing extreme suffering. [39:53] Nick reflects on duty of care laws stating it is interesting that legally we treat a child 10 feet away versus 200 feet away dramatically differently even though the outcome is exactly the same if both children suffer and die. [45:28] Nick emphasizes the incredible power individuals actually have, explaining we can save hundreds of lives and spare hundreds of thousands of animals from suffering through really cost efficient charities which means we have a greater level of responsibility to use that power well. [47:21] And remember..."The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity." - George Bernard Shaw Quotable Quotes "What ...
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    48 m
  • TLP477: Myths About Intuition with Sara Sabin

    TLP477: Myths About Intuition with Sara Sabin
    Sep 17 2025

    Sara Sabin is an executive leadership and intuition coach. In this episode, she shares her core philosophy that leadership starts with mastering your internal world. Sara describes how leaders can rewire thought patterns through simple daily exercises, explaining the neuroscience behind how small efforts compound for dramatic confidence improvements.

    She tackles the biggest intuition myth that emotions equal gut feelings, explaining true intuition appears as clear, emotionless flashes while emotions masquerade as insight.

    Listen to discover why leaning into discomfort and maintaining sharp thinking skills will determine whether you thrive or become obsolete in an AI-driven world.

    You can find episode 477 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

    Watch this Episode on YouTube | Myths About Intuition with Sara Sabin

    https://bit.ly/TLP-477

    Key Takeaways

    [03:21] Sara explains AI laziness wasn't "one lightning moment" but "a slow creep" of observing marketing and content "starting to look the same."

    [05:25] Sara distinguishes AI from human delegation, noting team members get the opportunity to expand in a certain area and to use their brain.

    [07:31] Sara clarifies AI can complement critical thinking if "used after you've done the critical thinking part" but warns replacement impairs your "ability to stand out."

    [15:01] Sara reveals her core insight that "leadership is an inside job" with every leadership skill having "an internal component."

    [17:22] Sara explains emotional regulation isn't about "transcending emotion" but "the ability to acknowledge emotions, accept them" when triggered.

    [20:50] Sara explains habitual thought patterns influence your belief systems which determine your actions and changing them is easier than you might think.

    [26:30] Sara busts the myth that "emotion is not the same as intuition," defining real intuition as "a very clear, emotionless flash."

    [32:36] Sara outlines her worst-case AI scenario where "everyone starts to look the same" mentally, losing creativity and becoming "open to manipulation."

    [39:41] Sara challenges listeners to lean into discomfort and not get lazy while maintaining a sharp brain.

    [41:17] And remember..."By far, the greatest danger of Artificial Intelligence is that people conclude too early that they understand it." - Eliezer Yudkowsky

    Quotable Quotes

    "Leadership is an inside job."

    "Lean into discomfort. Don't get lazy."

    "Emotion is not the same as intuition."

    "Your habitual thought patterns influence your belief systems which determine your actions and behaviors and therefore your results."

    "A little bit of effort every day goes a long way."

    "Unless you understand the internal pieces that drive the external strategy and make it work, then you won't ever get to the realm of being exceptional."

    "Until you are in a place of emotional neutrality, you cannot be an excellent communicator, period."

    "Intuition is just a very clear, emotionless flash of something."

    "Use your emotional triggers and your resistance to things to learn something."

    "Pay attention to when you get triggered, it's pointing to a layer that you need to shed."

    "AI can be a tool to augment and improve critical thinking, but it can't replace critical thinking."

    Resources Mentioned

    • The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com

    • Sponsored by | www.darley.com

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