The co-founder of 3Coze and best-selling author, Dr. Liane Davey, joins Dan Pontefract to discuss toxins in the workplace.

In this episode, Liane outlines five key workplace toxins and provides wonderful insights on how they can affect your overall happiness and performance. The toxins are: 

• Toxic policies & processes (e.g. scheduling, decision-making, compensation, etc.)
• Toxic culture (the norms – how we as a collective at work behave)
• Toxic bosses and leaders (those who support the team member)
• Toxic co-workers (peers) 
• Toxic customers (the firm’s clients)

Workplace Toxins with Dr. Liane Davey

Christine Porath is a tenured professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She’s the author of Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace and her latest, Mastering Community: The Surprising Ways Coming Together Moves Us from Surviving to Thriving.

In this episode, Christine discusses "Mastering Community" and shares some insights of her research including stories about Marriott, Ubuntu, Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics, and more.

If you want to learn about the importance of care, culture, and self-awareness when it comes to communities, check out our conversation.

Mastering Community with Christine Porath

Henry Mintzberg is a writer and educator, mostly about managing originations, developing managers, and rebalancing societies but he is also an outdoorsman and collector of beaver sculptures.

He has authored 20 books, including Managers not MBAs, Simply Managing, and Rebalancing Society. 

He has been elected to the Order of Canada and l’Ordre national du Quebec as well as to the Royal Society of Canada and has received twenty-one honorary degrees from universities around the world. He’s also a Hall of Fame member on the Thinkers50.

Henry sits down with Dan Pontefract to discuss an array of topics including Russia, Putin, Ukraine, Shareholder Primacy, communityship, the Business Roundtable, and measurement. The insights are overflowing.

Management Thinker Extraordinaire Henry Mintzberg

Roger Martin is a trusted strategy advisor to the CEOs of companies worldwide including Procter & Gamble, Lego and Ford. In 2017, he was named the world’s #1 management thinker by Thinkers50, a biannual ranking of the most influential global business thinkers.

In this engaging talk with Dan Pontefract, Roger discusses his newest book, "A New Way to Think: Your Guide to Superior Managerial Effectiveness."

Roger is a Professor Emeritus at the Rotman School of Management at University of Toronto where he served as Dean from 1998-2013, Academic Director of the Michael Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship from 2004-2019 and Institute Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute from 2013-2019. In 2013, he was named global Dean of the Year by the leading business school website, Poets & Quants.

He has written twelve other books including When More is Not Better, Creating Great Choices written with Jennifer Riel and Playing to Win written with A.G. Lafley, which won the award for Best Book of 2012-13 by the Thinkers50.

World Renown Thinker Roger L. Martin and a New Way to Think

Jennifer Riel is IDEO's global director of strategy. In this role, she collaborates with clients and internal teams to push the edges of creative problem solving, leveraging tools from strategy and design thinking. 

Jennifer and Dan talk about integrative thinking, strategy, and the role of empathy in both in this episode of Leadership NOW.

As a strategy advisor, Jennifer has worked across industries and countries, helping organizations and teams to build winning, sustainable, and human-centered strategies.

Before IDEO, Jennifer spent 13 years at the Rotman School of Management, where she taught undergrads, MBAs, and executives how to think creatively about their toughest challenges. During this period, she partnered with organizations to help them build their strategic thinking capabilities and transform their teams.

Jennifer is also the author of "Creating Great Choices: A Leader's Guide to Integrative Thinking" (with Roger L. Martin). The book is a Wall Street Journal bestseller and was shortlisted for Canada's National Business Book Award.

Integrative Thinking and Leadership with IDEO's Jennifer Riel

Sylvie di Giusto—the wearer of many hats—helps individuals and organizations explore how people make up their minds very quickly about them or their company and either open the door or slam it shut. She has twenty years of corporate experience holding various senior positions, mainly in human resources, at international organizations ranging from 10 to 100,000 employees.  

In this episode of Leadership NOW, Dan Pontefract and Sylvie discuss the importance of brand and image to one's leadership style and personality. 

Sylvie uses her corporate experience and multicultural background to help audiences around the world understand how people make up their minds very quickly about them and either open the door or slam it shut. At the core, Sylvie wants her clients to understand how making an impactful first and lasting impression can help attract and keep customers.

Sylvie is the author of "The Image of Leadership" and the creator of “How You Impress,” an interactive mobile learning platform for professionals and organizations who place great importance on the impression they make.

Sylvie di Giusto and the Image of Leadership

Heather E. McGowan is a strategist, thought leader, researcher, and author and is one of the leading voices on the "future of work."

Heather sits down with Dan Pontefract on Leadership NOW to discuss her new book, "The Empathy Advantage: Leading the Empowered Workforce."

McGowan is a sense maker, a dot connector, a deep thinker, and a pattern matcher who sees things that others miss. Heather gives people the courage and insight that illuminates their path forward. She’s transforming mindsets and entire organizations around the globe with her message about how the next phase of work will focus on continuous learning and how leadership must shift to guide these expeditions.

Her groundbreaking approach to learning has made employees more fulfilled and innovative, leaders more potent and empathetic, and businesses more effective at reaching their goals in a rapidly evolving market.
 
Her message is never more powerful than when she’s onstage, where her no-nonsense approach creates a fundamental mindset shift across the audience leaving them both transformed in their thinking and clear in their path of action.

Visit http://www.danpontefract.com for more information about Dan and the Leadership NOW program.

Visit https://heathermcgowan.com/ for more information about Heather McGowan

Heather McGowan and Leading the Empowered Workforce

Gianpiero Petriglieri is Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD. His award-winning research and teaching focus on what it means, and what it takes, to become a leader. He is particularly concerned with leading well in the age of “nomadic professionalism,” in which people have deep bonds to work but loose affiliations to organisations.

In this conversation with Dan Pontefract on Leadership NOW, Gianpiero discusses at length the need (and wish) for leadership to be an art.

Building on two decades of experience studying and working with executives and companies around the world, he has refined a unique approach to experiential leadership development that aims to deepen and accelerate the development of individual leaders, as well as to broaden and strengthen leadership communities within and across organisations.

At INSEAD, Gianpiero directs the Management Acceleration Programme, the school’s flagship executive programme for emerging leaders, and chairs the initiative for Learning innovation and Teaching Excellence. He also designs and directs customized leadership development programmes for multinationals in a variety of industries. He speaks widely on how to develop and exercise leadership in fast-changing, uncertain, and diverse workplaces.

Gianpiero has chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on new models of leadership and has been named one of the 50 most influential management thinkers in the world by Thinkers50. He has held Visiting Professor positions at the Harvard Business School, and at Copenhagen Business School. Prior to joining INSEAD, he contributed to executive programs and to the MBA at IMD and trained as a medical doctor and psychiatrist.

More about Gianpiero at https://gpetriglieri.com/ including his essays, research, and other wonderful goodies.

More about Dan at https://www.danpontefract.com

INSEAD's Gianpiero Petriglieri - Leadership is an Art

Dr. Alexander (Alex) Osterwalder, founder & CEO of Strategyzer, is one of the world’s most influential strategy and innovation experts. A leading author, entrepreneur, and in-demand speaker, his work has changed the way established companies do business and how new ventures get started.

In this episode of Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract, Alex lays out his nfluential ideas on modern business models, emphasizing the need for innovative strategies and a shift away from traditional business thinking.

Continuously ranked in the top 50 management thinkers worldwide by Thinkers50 and a visiting professor at IMD, Osterwalder is known for simplifying the strategy development process and turning complex concepts into digestible visual models. Together with Yves Pigneur, he invented the Business Model Canvas, Value Proposition Canvas, and Business Portfolio Map – practical tools that are trusted by millions of business practitioners from leading global companies, including Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Mastercard, Sony, Fujitsu, 3M, Intel, Roche, Colgate-Palmolive, and many more.

Strategyzer is an innovation powerhouse, providing online courses, applications, and technology-enabled services to help organizations effectively and systematically manage strategy, growth, and transformation.

Osterwalder’s books include the international bestseller «Business Model Generation», «Value Proposition Design», «Testing Business Ideas», «High-Impact Tools for Teams» and «The Invincible Company,» 

A frequent and popular keynote speaker, Osterwalder travels the world discussing his ideas and strategies at Fortune 500 companies, premiere innovation conferences, and leading universities.

He holds a doctorate from HEC Lausanne/Switzerland and is a founding member of The Constellation, a global not-for-profit organization connecting local responses to global issues around the world.

Pioneering the Pulse of Modern Business Models with Alex Osterwalder

Step into a world where innovation meets execution in the latest episode of Leadership NOW with my guest Steve Blank, the architect behind the Lean Startup revolution. We're dissecting the nuances of what it takes to blend day-to-day operations with the art of innovation, unearthing insights from the startup sphere that big businesses need to hear, and unpacking the transformative role of leadership in an ever-evolving business environment. 

This isn't just a chat; it's an expedition into the heart of entrepreneurial thinking. Tune in for this enriching dialogue and explore more in the accompanying Forbes article, where we delve deeper into the strategies shaping the future of leadership. It's an episode filled with thought-provoking ideas and actionable wisdom you won't want to miss.

Steve Blank is a founding member at the Gordian Knot Center, an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University, and Senior Fellow for Innovation at Columbia University. Steve consults for the National Security establishment on innovation methods, processes, policies, and doctrine. He created the curriculum for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps. At Stanford he co-created the Department of Defense Hacking for Defense and Department of State Hacking for Diplomacy curriculums.

Steve arrived in Silicon Valley in 1978, at the very beginning of the startup boom, founded or was part of eight ventures. His book The Four Steps to the Epiphany is credited with launching the Lean Startup movement and which touted the principle that startups must operate differently from big companies to be successful.
 
His follow-on book The Startup Owner’s Manual described a process for turning ideas into scale and his Harvard Business Review cover story redefined how large organizations can innovate at speed.

In sum, Steve has changed how startups are built; how entrepreneurship is taught; how science is commercialized, and how companies and the government innovate. He has been described as the Father of Modern Entrepreneurship.

Find out more about Steve at www.steveblank.com

Innovate or Stagnate: Lessons from Steve Blank on Future-Proofing Your Business

Jennifer McCollum is an acclaimed speaker, consultant, coach, and author of the fab book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman’s Rise to CEO." It's the focus of her book, where Dan and Jennifer discuss several different facets of importance regarding gender equity and gender-related issues.

With two decades of experience leading and building businesses in the leadership space, her expertise includes how to close the gap to gender equity, why the most effective leaders are inclusive leaders, and how to demystify inclusion for leaders and organizations. She has delivered workshops, keynotes, webinars, and podcasts to thousands of leaders globally on live and virtual stages. 

Jennifer is also the former CEO of Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversaw the strategic direction and global operations of this global leadership development firm. Linkage has been consistently ranked as a top 20 training company worldwide, providing assessments, training, coaching, consulting, and conferences.

Prior to Linkage, Jennifer spent 10 years in Atlanta working for The Coca-Cola Company. She also spent a decade growing businesses within Korn Ferry and the Corporate Executive Board (CEB), now Gartner. At CEB, she led product management within the leadership division, driving innovative solutions that helped organizations select, develop, and place leaders at all levels. She also ran CEB’s Leadership Academies business, which developed more than 30,000 professionals in 2,100 companies throughout 50 countries. 

Previously, Jennifer served as CEO of IntraVision, a leadership consultancy she founded and grew over the course of 8 years. She worked with public companies, start-ups, associations, and nonprofits. Her passion is creating vision, executing strategy, and managing cohesive teams toward aspirational goals, with a special focus on supporting women in leadership roles. 

More about Jennifer's book "In Her Own Voice" at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/731273/in-her-own-voice-by-jennifer-mccollum/

More about Dan Pontefract and the Leadership NOW program at www.danpontefract.com/podcast

Gender Equity in Leadership with Jennifer McCollum

Ilya Kneppelhout co-founded The Offline Club as a response to our increasingly digital world. In this episode of "Leadership NOW," we explore the club's origins, digital intoxication, loneliness, and how It aims to "inspire people to swap screen time for real-time, today and tomorrow."

Located in Amsterdam, The Offline Club offers a space where members can disconnect from their digital devices and reconnect with the real world. The idea is to provide a tech-free sanctuary where individuals can enjoy genuine conversations and immerse themselves in the moment reminiscent of the pre-digital era of the '90s.

The club's core principle is mandatory disconnection from online devices, fostering an environment for genuine human interaction. Ilya’s vision extends beyond individual well-being to inspire a global movement towards offline engagement, aiming to facilitate a worldwide "reconnection" with others and oneself.

More about Ilya and The Offline Club at their site: https://bento.me/theofflineclub

More about Dan Pontefract and "Leadership NOW" here: https://www.danpontefract.com


Ilya Kneppelhout and The Offline Club’s Quest Against Digital Overload

Join us in this enlightening episode of Leadership NOW as I sit down with Josh Blair, CEO and co-founder of Impro.ai. Blair shares his insights on creating a new category in business innovation: performance technology. 

Discover how Impro.ai leverages AI and human strategists to enhance employee performance, foster leadership, and drive organizational success. Tune in to learn about real-world applications, success stories, and Blair’s unique leadership philosophy that balances empathy with execution.

Impro.ai is a high-tech company that enables corporations to elevate their performance. Through their AI-powered platform, Impro provides daily performance guidance to employees and organizational performance insights to executives.

Impro.ai is at the forefront of developing performance technology, a groundbreaking approach that integrates AI and human expertise to transform employee behavior and organizational efficiency. 

By combining AI-driven data insights with the personalized touch of Impro performance strategists, the platform offers tailored guidance to help employees improve their mindsets, behaviors, and habits. This innovative method not only boosts individual performance but also provides executives with actionable insights to drive strategic decision-making and achieve remarkable business outcomes.

More about Josh Blair and Impro at https://www.impro.ai

More about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com

CEO Josh Blair on Pioneering Performance Technology with Impro.ai

In this episode of Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract, I sit down with Todd Cherches, CEO and co-founder of BigBlueGumball, to explore the unique intersection of visual thinking and leadership. 

Todd, an award-winning professor and author of VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life, shares his journey from a TV addict dreaming of being Superman to becoming a leading expert in visual communication. 

We discuss how metaphors, mental models, and visual storytelling can enhance a leader’s ability to communicate, innovate, and inspire. 

Todd also dives into his visual leadership formula and the importance of translating complex ideas into relatable, visual terms to connect with and engage your audience. 

Whether you’re looking to improve your leadership style or understand the impact of visual thinking, this episode offers invaluable insights and practical advice.

More about Todd at https://www.toddcherches.com/services

More about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com/

How Visual Leadership Transforms Communication with Todd Cherches

Dr. Deborah Heiser, the founder and CEO of The Mentor Project™, is a leading figure in the field of aging. Her work, which brings experts to mentor students worldwide for free, has had a significant impact. 

As an applied developmental psychologist, a TEDx speaker, and a Psychology Today contributor, she specializes in midlife and beyond. Her research, which covers a wide range of topics related to aging, has been recognized with grants awarded from NIA/NIH and Pfizer.

A frequent expert guest on syndicated and local talk radio shows, Deborah contends that our most precious natural resources are not coal, oil and gas but intellect, expertise, and skills. She is a proponent of utilizing our world experts through mentorship and firmly believes that we are all built to give back. 

Coming out in 2024 is a new book titled “The Mentorship Edge.”

More details about Deborah at https://mentorproject.org/mentor/deborah-heiser/

More information about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com/

Dr. Deborah Heiser: Unlocking Generativity to Shape Future Leaders

Join leadership strategist Dan Pontefract as he sits down with best-selling author Seth Godin in this special episode of Leadership NOW to explore the philosophy behind effective strategy. 

In this engaging conversation, Godin shares key insights from his latest book, "This is Strategy," and explains why strategy is not a rigid map but a flexible compass. 

From focusing on your "smallest viable market" to the power of saying “no,” this episode is packed with actionable advice for leaders looking to drive meaningful, long-term change. 

Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking discussion that challenges the conventional approach to strategy.

Seth Godin has been trying to turn on lights, inspire people, and teach them how to level up for more than thirty years. 

He has spent most of his professional life as a writer, publishing 20 bestselling books, including his latest, “This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans.” 

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that his daily blog called “Seth’s Blog” is one of the world’s greatest treasures. Over 3 million words and counting.

Seth is in the Guerrilla Marketing Hall of Fame, the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame and the Marketing Hall of Fame. 

He’s delivered five TED talks and pioneered ethical online direct marketing, now a $30bn a year industry.

More about Seth Godin at his site: https://seths.blog/more/

More about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com/

Seth Godin Talks Strategy

How do you embrace the second half of life with purpose, energy, and vision? In this episode of Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract, author Michael Clinton ("Roar into the Second Half of Your Life) shares how to reimagine the next chapter through reinvention, lifelong learning, and leadership. Clinton dives into his concept of “rewiring instead of retiring,” offering actionable insights for thriving in the 100-year life.

From confronting ageism to fostering multigenerational workplaces, Clinton explores the power of living intentionally and inspiring others. Whether you’re leading teams, starting a new venture, or navigating your personal journey, this conversation is packed with wisdom, strategies, and real-world examples to help you roar forward.

More about Michael Clinton at www.roarforward.com

More about Dan Pontefract at www.danpontefract.com

Michael Clinton on Roaring into the 100-Year Life

Aging isn’t a new problem to solve; it’s a chance to reimagine. In this episode of Leadership NOW, Jeanette Leardi, a social gerontologist and author of "Aging Sideways," challenges outdated views on aging and offers a fresh perspective on how we can embrace life’s later stages with purpose and possibility.

We explore the surprising ways our brains adapt as we age, the importance of intergenerational connections, and why older adults are an untapped reservoir of wisdom, creativity, and experience. 

Jeanette shares her concept of “aging sideways,” calling on leaders to rethink how they approach aging in the workplace and in society.

More about Jeanette Leardi at www.jeanetteleardi.com
More about Dan Pontefract at www.danpontefract.com

Aging Sideways with Social Gerontologist Jeanette Leardi

In this episode of Leadership NOW, Dan Pontefract sits down with Jon Husband, the pioneer behind Wirearchy, to reflect on 25 years of this transformative concept. 

Together, they delve into the evolution of leadership, exploring how trust, credibility, and collaboration are reshaping the modern workplace. 

Jon shares his perspective on the shift from rigid hierarchies to dynamic flows of power, the challenges and opportunities of hybrid work, and the profound impact of generative AI on human creativity and connection. 

With real-world examples and deep insights, this episode offers leaders a roadmap for navigating complexity, fostering meaningful relationships, and embracing change in today’s interconnected world. 

Don’t miss this engaging discussion on the principles that define the future of leadership.

More about Jon Husband and Wirearchy at www.wirearchy.com

More about Dan Pontefract at www.danpontefract.com

Wirearchy at 25: Shaping the Future with Jon Husband

The workforce is changing faster than most leaders realize. By 2030, there will be more people over 65 than under 18 in the U.S.—a demographic shift that is already reshaping economies, labor markets, and business strategy. Bradley Schurman, author of "The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny," joins Dan Pontefract on Leadership NOW to break down what this means for organizations.

In this conversation, Schurman unpacks why birth rates have collapsed, why ageism is holding companies back, and how leaders must rethink workforce planning to stay ahead. He explores the flaws in traditional retirement models, the impact of longer life expectancies on labor markets, and why businesses that fail to adapt will struggle to find both talent and customers in the coming decades.

If you’re a leader navigating workforce challenges—or just trying to understand the seismic demographic shifts happening today—this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.

More about Bradley Schurman at https://behumanchange.com
More about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com

The Workforce is Shrinking. Now What? With Author Bradley Schurman

The workforce is aging, but many leaders are still acting as if nothing has changed.

On this episode of Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract, CEO and author Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, a global expert on gender, generational shifts, and longevity, unpacks what organizations must do to stay ahead. 

She explains why age diversity is a leadership blind spot, how demographic shifts are reshaping talent strategies, and what wise leaders are doing to future-proof their organizations.

Avivah challenges outdated assumptions about work, career longevity, and leadership. She explores the opportunities that come with longer, multi-stage careers—and why companies that fail to adapt will struggle to compete.

More about Avivah Wittenberg-Cox: https://www.avivahwittenbergcox.com/

More about Dan Pontefract: https://www.danpontefract.com/

Are Leaders Ready for an Aging Workforce? Featuring CEO and Author Avivah Wittenberg-Cox

In this blunt, zero-guests, and entertaining episode of Leadership NOW, Dan Pontefract unleashes his frustrations on the outdated practice of the annual performance review. 

He traces its historical roots, explains why it hurt engagement and innovation, and offers a better path forward.

If you are tired of cramming twelve months of work into a single, awkward meeting, tune in for Dan’s pointed critique and practical alternatives that will save time, boost morale, and modernize how we measure performance.

Death to the February Fiasco: Why Annual Performance Reviews Must Go

Learning and Development (L&D) teams are at a crossroads. Too many still operate as order takers, delivering training on request without questioning whether it’s the right solution. Dr. Keith Keating, Chief Learning and Development Officer at BDO Canada and author of "The Trusted Learning Advisor," believes this outdated mindset limits impact and credibility.

In this episode of Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract, Keating explains how L&D must evolve from transactional function to strategic business partner. He shares:

1) Why L&D professionals must stop taking orders and start diagnosing real business challenges
2) How the IDAD Model—Intake, Discovery, Analysis, and Decision—helps reframe training requests
3) Why empathy, active listening, and design thinking are the missing pieces in L&D’s strategy

Keating outlines practical steps to move beyond outdated approaches and drive real business value.

Watch now to learn how L&D professionals can build credibility, drive impact, and become true trusted learning advisors.

More about Keith Keating: https://www.thetrustedlearningadvisor.com/
More about Dan Pontefract: https://www.danpontefract.com/

Dr. Keith Keating on Why L&D Is Failing and How to Fix It

In this episode of Leadership NOW, we delve into the critical issue of knowledge loss within organizations. When seasoned employees retire or depart, they often take invaluable tacit knowledge with them—expertise that isn't documented in manuals or training materials.​

Join us as we explore the insights of Dr. Richard Clark, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, who has dedicated his career to addressing this challenge through Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA). 

Dr. Clark discusses how CTA can uncover and preserve the hidden insights of workplace experts, ensuring that organizations retain and effectively transfer critical knowledge.​

Discover how integrating CTA with artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, can accelerate and enhance the process of capturing and disseminating expert knowledge. Learn practical steps to prioritize expertise mapping, leverage AI-driven CTA, and foster a culture of lifelong learning within your organization.​

Don't let essential knowledge slip away. Watch now to understand how to safeguard your organization's intellectual assets and maintain a competitive edge.​

More about Dr. Clark at https://rossier.usc.edu/faculty-research/directory/richard-clark

More about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com/

The Expertise and Knowledge Crisis with Dr. Richard E. Clark

Rigid leadership is failing us—especially now. On this episode of Leadership NOW, Dan Pontefract speaks with bestselling author and leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry about his latest book, "Flexible Leadership: Navigate Uncertainty and Lead with Confidence."

Eikenberry argues persuasively that leaders trapped in habitual thinking or overly reliant on personality labels miss opportunities to adapt effectively in today’s complex world. 

He introduces the concept of “flexors”—leadership decisions that require intentional flexibility rather than automatic, comfort-driven reactions.

In this lively conversation, Eikenberry outlines why flexibility is no longer optional, explains the practical skills and habits leaders must adopt, and offers clear advice to move beyond rigidity into intentional, adaptive leadership.

For more about Kevin and his book, including a gift, visit:
	•	https://www.kevineikenberry.com/flexible
	•	https://www.kevineikenberry.com/gift

More about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com/

Author Kevin Eikenberry Wants Leaders to Stop Clinging to Habit

Rose Fass, founder of Fass Forward Consulting Group and former CTO at Xerox, joins Dan Pontefract on Leadership NOW to discuss why organizations repeatedly overlook the crucial layer of middle management.

Rose reveals the critical role of the "messy middle" in translating strategy into execution and why senior leaders must meaningfully engage rather than ignore these vital managers. She explains how genuine, unscripted conversations—not PowerPoint decks—lead to successful transformation, and underscores why wisdom and innovation have no age limit.

It's a powerful conversation that challenges the status quo about middle managers and the real nature of leadership.

More about Rose Fass at: https://www.fassforward.com/
More about Dan Pontefract at: https://www.danpontefract.com/

75-Year-Old Founder Rose Fass Wants Leaders to Stop Ignoring the Messy Middle

In this insightful episode of Leadership NOW, Dan sits down with entrepreneur and acclaimed author Faisal Hoque to discuss the transformative power—and hidden perils—of artificial intelligence. Drawing from his latest book, "TRANSCEND: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI," Faisal explores why the greatest leadership challenge today is balancing AI’s vast potential with human judgment, ethics, and dignity.

Faisal and Dan dive deep into practical frameworks leaders can immediately use to guide AI ethically and strategically. From addressing algorithmic bias to maintaining authentic human connections in increasingly automated workplaces, they unpack why leadership in the AI age demands clarity, compassion, and purpose.

Join this critical conversation to learn how to ensure your organization’s smartest technologies amplify human strengths rather than undermine them.

For more about Faisal Hoque visit: https://faisalhoque.com/
For more about Dan Pontefract visit: https://www.danpontefract.com/

Author Faisal Hoque on Preserving Humanity in the Artificial Intelligence Era

Gary Officer, President and CEO of CWI Labs, joins Dan Pontefract on Leadership NOW to discuss why organizations repeatedly overlook older workers—and why it's strategically and socially damaging. 

Officer explains how ageism impacts organizational productivity, innovation, and culture. He debunks common myths around older employees' technological skills, health care costs, and salary expectations, offering compelling insights and examples of successful intergenerational teams. 

This episode highlights why age inclusiveness isn't simply about fairness; it's a crucial competitive advantage.

For more information about Gary A. Officer visit: https://www.cwilabs.org/
For more information about Dan Pontefract visit: https://www.danpontefract.com/

CEO Gary Officer Wants Organizations to Stop Ignoring Older Workers

Maureen Wiley Clough, seasoned technology leader and host of the podcast It Gets Late Early, joins Dan Pontefract on Leadership NOW to discuss the overlooked yet costly issue of ageism in today’s workplaces. 

Clough highlights why age diversity isn’t simply an ethical responsibility but a strategic advantage. She dismantles harmful myths about older employees’ technological capability, cost, and adaptability, and provides actionable insights for leaders on cultivating meaningful intergenerational mentorship and organizational resilience.

If your organization values inclusion, it’s time to start genuinely including older employees.

More about Maureen Wiley Clough: https://www.itgetslateearly.com/
More about Dan Pontefract: https://www.danpontefract.com

Ageism is Hurting Your Organization with Maureen Wiley Clough

When companies go through a merger or acquisition, most leaders obsess over financials and spreadsheets. But according to Jennifer Fondrevay—founder of Day1 Ready and author of Now What?—the real failure happens when leadership ignores people. 

In this episode of Leadership NOW, we explore what really drives post-acquisition chaos, the arrogance of deal-making, and why culture buddies and pre-mortems are essential to getting it right. 

If your company is planning a deal, this conversation is your human integration blueprint.

More information about Jennifer Fondrevay at https://jenniferjfondrevay.com/
More information about Dan Pontefract at https://www.danpontefract.com/

Jennifer Fondrevay on Fixing the Human Side of M&A

What do ultra-marathons, workplace distractions, and failed goals have in common? Mandy Gill. In this candid episode of Leadership NOW with Dan Pontefract, Mandy shares her journey—from overcoming anorexia to guiding leaders through resilience and workplace wellness. Her book "Reset with Resilience" is a blueprint for bouncing forward through setbacks.

We explore her signature “catch it, check it, change it” method, the psychology of negative thinking, and how reverse-engineering your goals can shift your trajectory. Mandy doesn’t sugarcoat it—she teaches resilience with precision, story, and lived truth. This episode is equal parts blueprint and mirror.

For more information about Mandy Gill visit: https://www.mandygill.com/book

For more information about Dan Pontefract visit: https://www.danpontefract.com

Mandy Gill on Grit, Goals & Getting Back Up

Dan Pontefract is an award-winning author, leadership strategist, and culture change expert. Dan's podcast explores all aspects of leadership, organizational culture, purpose, and professional development. 
 
Dan is the best-selling author of five books: WORK-LIFE BLOOM, LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT, and FLAT ARMY. A renowned speaker, Dan has presented at four different TED events and also writes for Forbes and Harvard Business Review. Dan is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, Gustavson School of Business, and has garnered more than 20 industry awards over his career.
 
Previously, as Chief Envisioner and Chief Learning Officer at TELUS—a Canadian telecommunications company with revenues of $14 billion and 50,000 global employees—he launched the Transformation Office, the TELUS MBA, and the TELUS Leadership Philosophy, all award-winning initiatives that dramatically helped to increase the company’s employee engagement to record levels of nearly 90%. Prior to TELUS, he held senior roles at SAP, Business Objects, and BCIT. He is honoured to be on the Thinkers50 radar list.

Dan Pontefract, Author and Leadership Strategist

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