Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Dr. Vanessa Druskat explains that high-performing teams are not built by hiring superstars alone, but by creating clear team norms that build trust, candor, belonging, shared learning, and better debate.

She shows how simple practices like check-ins, round-robins, and short debriefs help leadership teams hear every voice, make faster decisions, and turn ordinary teams into stronger, more collaborative performers.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/414-the-emotionally-intelligent-team-building-collaborative-groups-that-outperform-the-rest-with-v

Real change doesn’t only come from the person at the top.
It also comes from the people who speak up, ask better questions, and hold leadership accountable.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/326-from-bad-to-worse-how-to-break-free-from-the-grip-of-toxic-leadership-and-cultivate-a-thriving

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Carolyn Dewar about insights from her book A CEO for All Seasons and the evolving demands of CEO leadership. Drawing on her work advising top executives at McKinsey & Company, Dewar explores the four key seasons of a CEO’s journey—from preparation to exit—and explains why long-term success depends on adaptability, timing, self-awareness, and the ability to reinvent leadership as organizations evolve.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/413-a-ceo-for-all-seasons-carolyn-dewar-on-what-great-leaders-do-differently-from-bold-beginnings-t

In family businesses, the hardest part isn’t always the structure.

Sometimes it’s the emotional weight of letting go.

Letting go of control.
Letting go of old roles.
Letting go of the way things have always been done.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/383-designing-what-lasts-how-great-leaders-reimagine-ownership-innovation-and-legacy-with-alfredo

Some people think leadership development is about reaching a final version of yourself.

But in reality, the inner work keeps going.

The role changes.
The pressure changes.
The learning continues.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/373-mastering-leadership-from-the-inside-out-transformative-insights-for-ceos-with-kurt-strovink-g

Kindness doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. Sometimes it means believing something better is still possible, even when the situation makes that hard.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/381-reclaim-the-moment-building-clarity-and-connection-in-a-chaotic-world-with-greg-bennick

Many organizations are exploring AI right now.
But there’s a big difference between using AI tools occasionally and building an AI-driven organization.
That shift usually starts at the top.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/379-unlocking-ai-how-leaders-can-tap-into-generative-ais-power-with-rajeev-kapur

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Justin Evans about why data is no longer just a technical function, but a core leadership discipline. Drawing from his book The Little Book of Data and executive experience at Microsoft, NBCUniversal, and Paramount, Evans shows how leaders can use data as a strategic lens—asking better questions, making smarter decisions, and leading confidently in an AI-driven world.

Listen to this episode:
https://www.partneringleadership.com/406-data-as-a-leadership-superpower-how-to-fuel-strategy-innovation-and-ai-with-justin-evans-aut