RELOAD: How Design Thinking Helped an Olympic Athlete Create Breakthrough Performance with John Coyle

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

This week, I’m looking back to a great conversion I had with Olympic silver medalist John Coyle. Known as “The Time Guy,” John is a thought leader in the field of chronoception—the study of how humans process time— and one of the world's leading experts in Design Thinking. A graduate of Stanford University’s Product Design Program and a Kellogg MBA, John is an NBC sports analyst, two-time TEDx presenter and sought-after keynote speaker. His presentations combine the data and analytics of a professor with the inspired storytelling of an Olympic athlete. He is also a best-selling author of two books, Design For Strengths: Applying Design Thinking to Individual and Team Strengths and The Art of Really Living Manifesto. As a speaker and an author, his talent is in weaving facts, examples, and intellectual principles into engaging stories that leave you with actionable ideas.

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… anyone interested in design thinking, optimizing for their strength and maximizing their time to make major breakthroughs. 

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE… John shares his experiences as an Olympian, an innovator, and a world-class “design-thinker.” His personal experiences, metaphors, and practical guidelines serve as a roadmap for innovation and leaning into your strengths as opposed to trying to solve “weaknesses.” He also shares how design thinking can seep into and affect other parts of your life and career to achieve breakthrough performances and create more meaning.  

WHAT I LOVE  MOST… John’s great and illustrative anecdotes that help anyone focus on design thinking, solving the right problems, and learning how to lean into your strengths as opposed to solving for your non-strengths.  

Running Time: 35:55
 
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RELOAD: How Design Thinking Helped an Olympic Athlete Create Breakthrough with John Coyle

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

This week, I’m joined by Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld, who is the only leader to have successfully served as CEO of two Fortune 500 giants on different continents: Alcoa in the US and Siemens in Germany. With a nearly forty-year career spanning multiple industries, from established businesses to tech startups, he has advised US presidents and global leaders across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As the founder of K2 Elevation, he invests in North American and European tech and biotech firms. And he also has a book out called Leading to Thrive. 

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone who wants to become a more effective leader, whether you’re running a global enterprise, leading a small team, or gearing up to start your own business.

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…it’s easy to think leadership is about having all the answers but Klaus Kleinfeld would say say it’s really about curiosity, connection, and energy management. Drawing on decades of experience, Klaus shares actionable insights for leading with clarity and intent in any business environment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS…
- Klaus encourages leaders to see fear as “false expectations appearing real” and dissect it before it holds you back.
- Getting frontline insights directly from customers can help to avoid losing critical information in translation.
- The goal should be to build high-performance teams where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Klaus’s reminder that great leadership isn’t about titles or politics, it’s about investing your energy where it matters most, staying connected to the people you serve, and never losing sight of your purpose.

Running Time: 27:25

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The CEO’s Guide to Leading with Purpose with Klaus Kleinfeld


Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 
  
This week, I’m reflecting on a conversation I shared with Ron Tite a while back. Ron is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, speaker and investor. He has been an award-winning advertising writer and Creative Director for some of the world’s most respected brands. He is Founder and CEO of Church+State, an agency that unifies content and advertising for global brands and media companies. He has written for television, a children’s book, a hit play and an award-winning comedy book. He was the Executive Producer & Host of the award-winning comedy show, Monkey Toast and now hosts the podcast The Coup. 
  
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…brands looking for unique ways to build trust and talk about your purpose in an authentic and focused way. 

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…Ron gives us his insightful and humorous take on building brands. He talks about using humor and creativity to deliver insight, investing your time and creative energy in the “original.” Every brand and organization should have a belief that goes beyond product; a belief that provides purpose. Once you have that, you must do something actionable that reinforces that purpose, and if that purpose is truly sincere and essential to your brand, it will be worth talking about....So, talk about it! 

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Ron talks about seizing the attention of customers and employees by staying curious, staying passionate, and building that authentic trust with a twist of humor.

Running Time: 30:57

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RELOAD: Leading with Creativity to Deliver Insight with Ron Tite

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

This week, I’m excited to welcome Meredith Schmidt, who recently joined me on my LinkedIn Live show and is my first-ever Salesforce guest. She is the EVP and GM of Revenue Cloud. She's responsible for creating products to manage the product-to-cash lifecycle and end-to-end revenue management. 

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…business leaders and anyone trying to align customer experience with financial results.

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…running a business today means balancing growth with customer trust. Meredith Schmidt shares how her career leading revenue operations at Salesforce shaped her belief that finance isn’t just about numbers, it’s about enabling great customer experiences. From simplifying processes to removing friction, she explains why financial leaders have to think like customer champions if they want to drive sustainable success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Simplifying processes creates trust and unlocks growth.
- Strong revenue operations require alignment across sales, finance, and customer success.
- The best leaders make complexity feel simple for employees and for customers.

WHAT I LOVE MOST… Meredith’s perspective that finance can be a driver of customer loyalty, not just a back-office function. By putting the customer at the center of revenue decisions, she shows how leaders can fuel both trust and growth.

Running Time: 26:03

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Simplifying Growth with Meredith Schmidt

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 
  
This week, I’m reflecting on a conversation I shared with Adam Zeitsiff a while back. Adam is the President  & CEO of Gold’s Gym - one of the world’s most recognizable and iconic brands. Gold’s Gym serves over 3 million people daily with more than 700 locations across 23 different countries on 6 continents. Having previously served as the company’s CIO and SVP of Brand Innovation from 2016-2018, Adam was enticed back to lead the evolution and global resurgence of Gold’s Gym in early 2019. Adam spearheads brand innovation offerings, including AMP by Gold’s Gym, the company’s digital fitness app, as well as a variety of new and innovative fitness concepts.

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone looking to build engagement, innovate with purpose, or simply loves Gold’s Gym.

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…it’s all about innovating and looking forward while still staying true to your mission and your identity. Gold’s Gym seeks to extend its brand and keep users and clients engaged. But, how do you keep clients and users engaged? Adam breaks it down and discusses choice, personalization, and community.

WHAT I LOVE MOST…it’s so exciting to talk to someone who is the keeper of such an iconic brand. This chat is all about helping you get strong both personally and professionally!

Running Time: 30:57

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RELOAD: Being Strong for Life and Getting Results with Gold's Gym CEO Adam Zeitsiff

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 
  
This week, I’m reflecting on a conversation I had a while back with world-famous juggler, Michael Gelb. Michael is the world’s leading authority on the application of genius thinking to personal and organizational development. He is the author of 16 books including How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, Innovate Like Edison and Discover Your Genius. Michael’s books have been translated into 25 languages and have sold more than one million copies.   

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… anyone and everyone wanting to approach life with genius and mastery.

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE… Michael Gelb breaks down how we too can think like innovation master and genius, Leonardo Da Vinci. It is a conceptual roadmap that is sure to change how you approach work and life. Confidence and a desire to find the beauty of truth will change how you approach and learn from failure and continue to feed your curiosity. Moreover, as a world-famous juggler, Michael also shares how we can keep multiple balls in the air ourselves, and how we can solve problems quickly and efficiently.

WHAT I LOVE MOST… Michael’s motto of maintaining the curiosity of a child with the focus of a grown-up.
Running Time: 30:57

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RELOAD: The Secret to Thinking like Leonardo Da Vinci with Michael Gelb

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

This week, I’m joined by Vanessa Druscat. Vanessa is an associate professor at the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. As an internationally recognized leadership and team performance expert, she advises leaders and teams at over a dozen Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 companies. She has a new book out called The Emotionally Intelligent Team.

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anybody who wants to unlock stronger collaboration, cohesion, and performance in their organizations by building emotionally intelligent teams.

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…teams don’t thrive just because the right people are in the room. They thrive when leaders create the conditions for connection, trust, and continuous improvement. In this conversation, Vanessa Druskat shares what decades of research reveal about emotionally intelligent teams and discusses how to transform a group of individuals into a high-performing, collaborative team. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS…
- Teams perform better when leaders address core emotional needs like belonging and recognition.
- High-performing teams take time to really know one another, beyond just titles and roles.
- Every voice matters and innovation often comes from unexpected perspectives.
- Leaders don’t need to have all the answers but they do need to ask the right questions and listen.

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Vanessa’s reminder that emotionally intelligent teams aren’t just “nicer” to work in, they’re more effective. Taking time to build connection and belonging is a performance multiplier.

Running Time: 30:57

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The Power of Emotionally Intelligent Teams with Vanessa Druskat

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

This week, I’m joined by Mark Crowley. Mark is a best-selling author with 25 years in the competitive financial services industry. He rose to national roles, earning Leader of the Year for his emotionally connected, heart-and-mind balanced approach that drove exceptional performance and employee growth. His book, Lead from the Heart, which I love and highly recommend, disrupted conventional management with research proving that traditional methods undermine employee experience. Now taught in 11 universities, it ignited a global movement for humane leadership. In his latest book, The Power of Employee Wellbeing, he advances this vision even further. 

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, managers, and executives who want to unlock better performance by focusing on employee well-being. 

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…too many organizations still approach leadership as a numbers game, chasing productivity with surveys, perks, or technology. Mark Crowley challenges that thinking, showing why true performance stems from how people feel at work. When leaders prioritize well-being—through connection, trust, and emotional awareness—they create teams that are not only more engaged but also more productive. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Traditional engagement surveys are outdated. Pulse surveys give faster, more actionable insights.
- Managers must create space for genuine human connection, especially in hybrid or remote teams.
- Accountability matters, and leaders who ignore feedback are unlikely to receive it again. 

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Mark reframes leadership around a simple but overlooked truth: people’s feelings fuel their performance. I love his reminder that when leaders invest in genuine care and connection, they unlock a new depth of commitment and energy. 

Running Time: 26:27

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Well-Being as a Leadership Strategy with Mark Crowley

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 
  
This week, I’m reflecting on a conversation I had a while back with the delightful and purpose-driven Raj Sisodia. Raj is the FW Olin Distinguished Professor of Global Business and Whole Foods Market Research Scholar in Conscious Capitalism at Babson College, and Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Conscious Capitalism Inc. He has a Ph. D. in Marketing from Columbia University and has published eleven books. He was named one of “Ten Outstanding Trailblazers of 2010” by Good Business International, and one of the “Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior” by Trust Across America for 2010 and 2011. He is on the Board of Directors at The Container Store and a trustee of Conscious Capitalism Inc. 
  
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…people searching for their personal purpose in the work they do each day.

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…in this episode, Raj uncovers the unmet need for conscious capitalism in contemporary business. We discuss ethics in business and marketing, purpose, value, and true happiness. This is not something mutually exclusive from business and capitalism, but the way Raj explains it, something that is vitally a part of the business ecosystem and indispensable to building a worthwhile and successful brand. 

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Raj’s journey from marketing to uncovering a true passion that seeks to make business more conscientious, impactful and valuable to society.

Running time: 30:08
  
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RELOAD: Reconnecting to the Higher Purpose of Marketing with Raj Sisodia



Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

This week, I’m joined by Robert Glazer. Robert is a #1 Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and international bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and the founder of Acceleration Partners, a $50M global partner marketing agency known for its award-winning culture. He is also the creator of Friday Forward, a weekly inspirational newsletter read by over 200,000 professionals in 60+ countries. And he has a new book out called The Compass Within.

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, founders, and professionals who want to align their decisions with their core values and lead with greater clarity and authenticity.

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…in fast-moving and uncertain times, it’s easy to get pulled in different directions. Robert Glazer believes the antidote is grounding yourself in your values. Your "compass within" not only guides your personal and professional choices but also determines how you lead, build trust, and shape culture. By knowing what truly drives you, you’ll make better decisions, connect more deeply with others, and avoid environments that drain your energy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS…
- Your values act as a blueprint for better decisions at work and in life.
- Leaders unconsciously lead from their values—knowing them makes you more effective.
- High-performing teams thrive when individuals share and honor their core values.
- Self-awareness is the foundation for authentic leadership and sustainable growth.

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Robert’s reminder that many of us only realize our values when they’re crossed—what he calls the “electric fence test.” By identifying them earlier, we can make intentional choices that help us thrive instead of simply reacting when something feels wrong.

Running Time: 24:25

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Unlocking Your True Direction with Robert Glazer

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

This week, I’m honored to have a fellow Thinker50 on the show with me. Ranjay Gulati is a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. His pioneering work focuses on unlocking organizational and individual potential, embracing courage, nurturing purpose-driven leaders, driving growth, and transforming businesses. He is a management scholar and he holds a PhD from Harvard University and a Master's degree from MIT. He is the author of Deep Purpose, which was published in 2022. And now he has a new book out called How to Be Bold. 

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone who wants to live and lead with more courage, even in the presence of fear.  

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…have you ever wondered why some people seem naturally fearless while others freeze up in the face of uncertainty? Believe it or not, courage isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something anybody can learn. In this episode, Ranjay draws on research and stories from his new book to share practical ways anyone can build support systems that strengthen courage and reframe fear as a signal for growth, not retreat.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Fear comes from uncertainty and a loss of control, which is a very normal, human feeling.
- You can “act your way into knowing” by taking small, deliberate steps forward.
- Support networks (moral, emotional, and informational) help you move through fear.
- The key to courage is purpose. It gives fear direction and meaning.

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Ranjay’s reminder that courage is a decision and not a personality trait. You don’t have to wait to “feel ready” before taking action. The act of moving forward, even one small step at a time, is what builds boldness.

Running Time: 29:41

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How to Be Bold with Ranjay Gulati

Welcome to the What’s Next! Podcast. I’ve met so many brilliant people as I traveled the globe and have had some fascinating conversations that I’ve wished had been recorded so I could share them with you - this podcast was a way for me to recreate those moments and let you in on some fantastic insights. My current conversations center around one objective: what's next for companies and individuals as they look to innovate and grow. I hope these conversations inspire you as much as they have inspired me. Whether I am preparing for a keynote speech or writing for publications such as Harvard Business Review and Huffington Post, these are my go-to people. My goal with the What’s Next! podcast is to keep you thinking and to challenge you to think about What’s Next!

RELOAD: How Design Thinking Helped an Olympic Athlete Create Breakthrough with John Coyle

What's Next! with Tiffani Bova