PODCAST · business
12 Geniuses Podcast
by Don MacPherson
The difference between average and greatness might be one or two well executed things. 12 Geniuses explores the highly successful people in business, athletics, and music so we can all learn how to perform at our highest level.
Episodes
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Optimizing Human Healthspan | Dr. Chuck Svendsen
Medical doctors and researchers have done an amazing job extending human life expectancy, but healthspan - the time during which a person lives in good physical and mental health, free from chronic disease or serious disability - has not kept pace. In fact, in the United States, the average…
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Healthy to 100 | Ken Stern
What if one of the most powerful drivers of longevity isn’t a drug, diet, or medical breakthrough? Instead, it’s healthy social connection with friends, family, people in our workplace, and others in our communities. In this episode of 12 Geniuses, Ken Stern, author of Healthy to 100, explores…
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Incorruptible: Building Organizations Where People Flourish | Eric Ries
What if human flourishing was the measure by which we evaluate organizations? In this episode of 12 Geniuses entrepreneur and bestselling author Eric Ries discusses his groundbreaking book, Incorruptible, and why the future belongs to organizations designed not merely to generate wealth, but to...
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The Playbook for Leading Change | Dr. Mitch Kusy & Dr. Gilles Benoit
Change is no longer an event. It's the environment. The leaders who thrive won't be the ones who resist it, but those who embrace it, learn to navigate it with confidence and purpose, and understand that change brings opportunity. In this episode of 12 Geniuses, host Don MacPherson welcomes Dr....
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An Odyssey of Resilience: Biking from Alaska to Argentina
When it comes to pushing through and achieving the unimaginable, our minds will give out well before our bodies. The question is: can you control the mind and overcome the doubts that it produces? After losing his leg in a motorcycle accident, Sam Maddaus made a decision few people would consider...
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A Navy SEAL's Guide to Raising Confident & Joyful Children
In a world of constant disruption, resilience is a superpower. In a world of convenience, ease, and growing abundance, building resilience is becoming increasingly difficult - especially among children. Grit, determination, tenacity, and resolve are valued traits, but too few parents know how to...
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Identic AI’s Productivity Explosion | Don Tapscott & Joseph Bradley
Imagine a world where the meetings people are required to attend are cut by 90% or more. Instead, leaders are able to spend more time doing higher value work connecting with other people while their “identic” selves go to meetings and do other work on their behalf. Instead of 24 hours in a day,...
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Generative AI: Anxiety & Ethics | Dr. Andrea Bonime-Blanc
In a world where technology is advancing faster than many people can comprehend, anxiety and uncertainty are becoming part of the human experience. Breakthroughs in generative AI, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies are transforming how we live, work, and govern ourselves faster than...
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Is Work Worth Saving? | Dr. Ben Zweig
Dr. Ben Zweig joins the podcast from NYU’s Stern School of Business to discuss what is wrong with the world of work and how to fix it. Ben is the author of the book “Job Architecture: Building a Language for Workforce Intelligence,” professor of Economics, and CEO of Revelio Labs. In this...
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Creating Dignity at Work | Bob Chapman
For 50 years, Bob Chapman was CEO of Barry-Wehmiller until his retirement in 2025. Bob’s approach to organizational culture is unique and inspiring. He believes the workplace should be a source of dignity that enables every team member to flourish. This approach is the subject of Bob’s book...
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The Psychology of Leadership | Sébastien Page
Sébastien Page is Chief Investment Officer at T. Rowe Price and author of “The Psychology of Leadership.” In this interview, Sébastien discusses what he has learned about sports psychology that applies to leading in the corporate environment and in the management of $500B in assets at T. Rowe...
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The U.S. Marine Corps: 250 Years of Tradition & Innovation
One of the world’s most enduring organizations, the United States Marine Corps, celebrates its 250th birthday on November 10th, 2025. The Marines have deep, rich tradition and, remarkably, the Marine Corps has been able to innovate while reinventing itself over the course of its history. In this...
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Teens & Tech | Dr. Jean Twenge
Parenting today often feels like an uphill battle, with technology invading every corner of our kids’ lives. From the rise of social media addiction to the growing mental health crisis among children and teens, parents are grappling with how they can create a healthy, balanced relationship with...
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The Rise & Risk of AI Companions | Mandy McLean
Most people have an understanding of just how devastating social media and unrestrained access to technology have been to teens and young adults. What’s less understood is what the next threat is going to be to young people and their mental health. Evidence is mounting that it’s likely to be...
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Empowering Groups & Teams | Dr. Colin Fisher
Living and working in groups is both a blessing and a curse. Too often, groups are in the news for all the wrong reasons: conformity, polarization, prejudice, conflict, and general mass stupidity. The secret is understanding how to work with the invisible forces of group dynamics instead of being...
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Escaping Life's Hidden Prisons | Shaka Senghor
To have liberated lives, people often need to overcome past narratives, survivor's remorse, fear, the inability to forgive, and a host of other barriers. These barriers can be “hidden prisons,” according to Shaka Senghor - the author of “How to Be Free: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden...
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The Emotionally Intelligent Team | Dr. Vanessa Druskat
Getting people to voluntarily share their best information and act in the best interest of their team are two of the biggest challenges leaders face. In an insecure economy, it can be more difficult to get people on a team to demonstrate prosocial behavior, however, Dr. Vanessa Druskat’s research...
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Tien Tzuo | A Founder's Journey: From Zero to $1.5B
Tien Tzuo has been at the epicenter of Silicon Valley innovation for three and a half decades. In 1990, Tien was hired by Oracle. Eight years later, he joined Salesforce as employee #11. In 2007, he co-founded Zuora, a company he has been running since its creation. Tien and his team grew Zuora...
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Chad Sanschagrin | Creating a Life of Abundance
There is a theory that humanity is on the precipice of abundance. But what exactly is abundance? Speaker and author Chad Sanschagrin says that abundance is often confused with things or money. He describes abundance as “more than enough” - love, health, faith, and contribution. In the full...
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Jack Uldrich | AI & Human Evolution
It’s clear that artificial intelligence is going to be one of the most powerful forces shaping the future of humanity and the planet today and over the next two decades. Much of the AI discourse is negative or dystopian themed. Far too little AI news is highlighting how the planet’s problems and...
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Simon Hartley | The Mindsets of Elite Athletes
Achieving peak performance is something athletes strive to attain and getting that peak performance to coalesce is the goal for coaches, managers, and trainers leading teams in pursuit of victory. As sports psychologist Simon Hartley says, getting elite athletes to perform up to their potential…
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Dr. Bob Rosen | Overcoming Unhealthy Attachments
Why do people make it so difficult on themselves to achieve their goals and pursue happiness? Why do people “attach” themselves to unhealthy things that hold them back or hold them down? These attachments vary widely, ranging from attachments to the past or future, control or perfection, and...
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Topaz Adizes | 12 Questions for Love
In a world where technology is doing more work for humans, the connections we create with other people will become more important than ever. But for many people, phones and screens are the main ways they see the world and communicate with others. The question is how can we cultivate relationships…
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Matthew Edgerton | AI & Aging
Each day, more than 10,000 Baby Boomers in America turn 65…and it’s been happening for years. By 2034, there will be more Americans over the age of 65 than under the age of 18. It’s unprecedented. How those Baby Boomers continue to participate in society will be an overwhelming factor in what…
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Doug Lennick | Values Unite Humanity
The United States is deeply divided politically and it’s not the only country experiencing this challenge. Too many people are focused on what makes us different rather than taking the time to understand what we have in common. In this interview, Doug Lennick, CEO of Think2Perform, discusses what...
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Dr. Bertalan Meskó | Creating the Future You Want
The future can be a terrifying, anxiety-inducing destination for many people. Thoughts of robots running amok, out-of-control AI, and a speed of life that is beyond comprehension are often ways in which the future is described. That doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, the future doesn’t have to...
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Chap. Karen Meeker | Purpose, Leadership, Resilience & Faith
Magical technologies surround humans in the developed world. It’s taken for granted that on-demand electricity, stocked grocery stores with food from around the world, communication that enables anyone with a smart phone to broadcast their lives globally, and various modes of safe, cheap...
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Dr. Jim Loehr | Empathy & Compassion: Saviors of Humanity
Humanity has a dangerous flaw. Despite the amazing progress we've made eradicating diseases, extending life, creating safe and often fulfilling workplaces, and developing a wide variety of magical machines, humans still fight wars, hate irrationally, and create groups of others who are...
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Marshall Goldsmith | The A.I. Leadership Coach
Marshall Goldsmith has been one of the world’s leading executive coaches for years. He has helped CEOs all over the world become better leaders and his books on leadership have sold millions of copies. The problem is that Marshall’s time is limited and he is very expensive. To solve this problem,...
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Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman | Leading Through High Pressure
Major General Kenneth Ekman is a command pilot with thousands of flying hours. Many of those hours have been in high-pressure, combat situations. In his role as the Department of Defense West Africa Coordination Element Lead, U.S. Africa Command, Maj. Gen. Ekman has had to deal with a variety of...
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Don MacPherson | Becoming Resilient
In 2018, 12 Geniuses host Don MacPherson was told that he was a candidate to have both his hips replaced. With two young children in diapers and believing he was too young for the procedures, he put off the surgeries for two years. The pandemic extended the wait until 2023. By that time, Don’s...
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Erika Ayers Badan | Careers, Culture, & Becoming CEO
What does it take to get to the C-suite? In the case of Erika Ayers Badan, the road to the CEO’s chair was filled with risk and had plenty of bumps along the way. Earlier in 2024, Erika was appointed CEO of Food52. She’s the former CEO of Barstool Sports, where she saw Barstool’s rocket ship…
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Seth Godin | "This Is Strategy"
In his new book, This Is Strategy, Seth Godin reminds readers that “the future comes one day at a time” and “today is your best chance to improve tomorrow.” Despite the speed with which the world is changing, Seth believes prioritizing long-term thinking over quick fixes is the best way to make...
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Layla Zaidane | America’s Next 250 Years
Layla Zaidane describes the incredible, enduring nature of American democracy, the challenges that have been overcome during its history, what is required for democracy to last another 250 years in America, and how we should think about selecting our elected officials to ensure freedom and...
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Benji Backer | Building Consensus on Climate Change
With extreme weather and deadly disasters dominating headlines, the issue of climate change is a vital issue in the 2024 election. The majority of Americans believe there is human-caused climate change affecting our lives and fear for future impacts. The issue raises a range of perspectives on…
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Tara McGowan | Combating Media and Institutional Mistrust
Most Americans do not trust traditional media. Some do not believe in our elections. The growing spread of mistrust in our country's institutions impacts civic engagement and our democracy. As a former journalist and political strategist, Tara McGowan provides insights into this crisis and what…
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Steven Olikara | Electing Younger Leaders
Even with President Biden not seeking reelection, age in American politics is still a highly debated issue. Americans overall want younger candidates in office. While the U.S. House of Representatives median age is slightly under 60 years old, it’s the mid-60s for the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, the...
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Scott Shigeoka | Staying Curious on Contentious Issues
Election season often highlights a range of hot-button topics, from abortion to immigration, which becomes trickier to navigate when conversations pop up with friends or at the dinner table. While we’re often told to be curious about other perspectives, many of us do not know where to start.…
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Jesús Mantas | Catching A.I. in the Act
AI-generated content has exploded into people’s feeds, and with that comes greater concern over deep fakes and misinformation. As we scroll through election content this season, how can we ensure we know when something is real or fake? In this interview, IBM's Jesús Mantas addresses how his work...
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Dr. Pano Kanelos | Better Dialogue on Campus
Colleges have become a hotbed of division as students from all walks of life cross paths with each other, and academic agendas shape discourse and student life on campuses. As Gen Z casts some of their first ballots in 2024, how can they learn to have more respectful dialogue about the issues…
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Dr. Geoffrey Baym | A Media Literacy Diet for Elections
The blurred lines between journalism, advertising, and entertainment have contributed to a lack of media literacy in today’s audiences. So, how do we discern when we have all the facts, particularly as we gear up toward an election? In this interview, Dr. Geoffrey Baym explains the history of...
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Amanda Ripley | Countering Culture & Political Conflict
Political violence and threats of political attacks, from the national to community level, have soared in recent years. Political conflict and culture wars dominate headlines, causing Americans a sense of dread and despair, leading 42% to actively avoid the news. How can we turn the heat down…
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Vance Cryer | The Threats to American Democracy
Finding and fighting against national security threats is a crucial job. In any election cycle, it’s even more necessary as political enemies and disinformation can pose serious threats to our democratic process. As a career veteran and defense specialist, Vance Cryer helps spotlight the threats…
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Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan | The Value of Democracy
How has democracy enabled Americans to thrive over the last 240+ years? Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan shares his “only in America” story, talks about how the United States, despite its challenges and problems, is a land of opportunity, and why democracy is an important reason for these opportunities....
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Dr. Jay Van Bavel | Deprogramming the Partisan Brain
Why do we side with a political party? How do social identity and partisanship play in today’s politics? Why do we view the other side as the problem? Author and researcher Dr. Jay Van Bavel explores the psychology and neuroscience behind why our brains think the way we do and how we can overcome...
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Digital Nomads and Worldschooling with Annika Paradise
There are approximately 35 million digital nomads - workers who work online from various places around a country or around the world - and the number is poised to grow rapidly. As tools that enable remote work improve and travel infrastructure grows, the idea of taking a family with children…
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Business on the Edge with Dr. Emily Block
Just over 200 years ago, 90% of all humans lived in abject poverty. Life expectancy was less than half of what it is today. Business and capitalism take a lot of criticism for creating inequality and leaving some people behind, but capitalism, businesses, and global trade are largely responsible...
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Working Smarter with Dr. Jason Womack
Never in human history have people had more powerful tools than right now. At the same time, the tools of distraction are everywhere. The quest to reach individual potential is both enhanced and disrupted by these tools. Dr. Jason Womack helps people use the tools that will amplify their...
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AI: Talent's Rocket Fuel with Mike Bechtel
Artificial intelligence is touching elements of our lives that most people couldn’t have predicted even five years ago. No aspect is being disrupted more than our work and our jobs. As Michael Kanaan said on 12 Geniuses back in 2021 in The Future of Artificial Intelligence, “there is no job on…
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The Power of Rituals with Dr. Michael Norton
Our lives are filled with repetitive tasks meant to keep us on track—what we come to know as habits. Over time, these routines (for example, brushing your teeth or putting on your right sock first) tend to be performed automatically. But when we’re more mindful about these actions—when we focus…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The difference between average and greatness might be one or two well executed things. 12 Geniuses explores the highly successful people in business, athletics, and music so we can all learn how to perform at our highest level.
HOSTED BY
Don MacPherson
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does 12 Geniuses Podcast have?
12 Geniuses Podcast currently has 216 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is 12 Geniuses Podcast about?
The difference between average and greatness might be one or two well executed things. 12 Geniuses explores the highly successful people in business, athletics, and music so we can all learn how to perform at our highest level.
How often does 12 Geniuses Podcast release new episodes?
12 Geniuses Podcast publishes regularly with 216 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to 12 Geniuses Podcast?
You can listen to 12 Geniuses Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts 12 Geniuses Podcast?
12 Geniuses Podcast is created and hosted by Don MacPherson.
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