From Michael Jackson to Magic Johnson: Aaron Walton on Leading With Service

What can you learn about leadership from Michael Jackson, Magic Johnson, Marlon Brando — and your own family?In this episode of Lead Human, Jack Myers and Tim Spengler talk with Aaron Walton, co-founder of Walton Isaacson and longtime partner of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, about what it really means to lead with precision, empathy, and service.Aaron shares:What he learned spending 18 months on the road with Michael Jackson, watching him rehearse “Billie Jean” for more than an hour until every detail was perfectHow Magic Johnson changed the way he thinks about investing in diverse communities and using his influence to open doorsThe moment a client said “we’re colorblind here,” and why he replied, “when is being blind a good thing?” — plus what Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha expect from brands nowHow losing his mother forced him to rethink being “busy,” start monthly family Zooms, and rediscover the value of rest and doing nothingWhy he believes arts education is a necessity, not a luxury, and how his board work with organizations like Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Young Audiences New York keeps him groundedThe way his agency uses “Kaizen” sessions after big projects to ask what worked, what didn’t, and how to do it better next timeIf you care about leadership, culture, or building brands that actually reflect the world we live in, Aaron’s stories are a masterclass in leading human — on stage, in the boardroom, and at home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.