David Axelrod has been hailed a political mastermind. A former newspaper reporter-turned-political strategist, David has worked behind-the-scenes on more than 150 campaigns. His most famous client? President Barack Obama. From 2004-2012, David helped the President to three victories: the 2004 Senate race, the historical 2008 Presidential election, and his 2012 re-election, where he served as chief strategist and media advisor.

Today, David is the director of the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago, and hosts his own podcast, "The Axe Files." He's also a New York Times bestselling author for his 2015 memoir, "Believer: My 40 Years in Politics." 

In this episode - our third and final in our series with political disruptors - David and Brad discuss the traits of a great leader, the defining moment of his life, how to create a culture of excellence, and, how baseball is like politics. 

Plus, David reveals the kinds of politicians he'd never work with again, the time Steve Jobs hung up on him, and the story behind the famous Obama campaign slogan, "Yes We Can."

David Axelrod: What Baseball & Politics Can Teach Us About Culture

The Upside with Brad Keywell is a collection of stimulating stories, inspiring guests and thought provoking ideas curated by the endlessly curious mind of our host. The Upside is an exploration of actionable ideas that can transform business, the world, and the way we think.

Keywell is a lifelong entrepreneur and co-founder of seven technology companies, a cultural curator of innovation platforms, and a philanthropist. He is the co-founder and CEO of Uptake Technologies, an Industrial AI software platform harnessing predictive analytics to deliver outcomes of increased productivity, reliability, safety, and cybersecurity to global industry. Uptake was named “Startup of the Year” in 2015 by Forbes, was #5 in the 2017 CNBC Disruptor 50, and was named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum.