PODCAST · business
Imperfect Leaders
by Jeffrey Cohn, Podcast Host
There is no such thing as a perfect leader. We invite the country's most admired leaders to talk about their imperfections and leadership journey.
Episodes
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Leadership & Legacy for Neurodiverse Families – with Michael Duckworth
This episode of Imperfect Leaders is about leadership and legacy: how parents of autistic and neurodiverse children think about the long arc of their family’s happiness, not just this year or next, but decades into the future, even after the parents are gone. Jeff’s guest is Mike Duckworth,...
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Small Dose, Big Impact: The Science of Low-Dose Lithium for Leadership Performance, with Dr. Sudhir Gadh
What if the key to better sleep, faster recovery, and long-term brain health is a trace mineral that was once in your drinking water — and quietly removed? In this episode, I sit down with Sudhir, a board-certified psychiatrist, Navy veteran, and co-founder of Third Element, to explore the...
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Thinking About Thinking: What a World-Class Neuroscientist Learned When His Own Child Got Sick, with Dr. Bradley Schlaggar, CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute
In this episode of Imperfect Leaders, host Jeff Cohn sits down with Dr. Bradley Schlaggar — physician, neuroscientist, and President and CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, one of the world's premier institutions for children and young adults with disorders of the brain and nervous...
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Winning the War for Rainmakers & Law Firm Leaders, with John Cashman, President Major, Lindsey, & Africa
Big law is changing fast, but one thing hasn’t: the firms that win still recruit – and keep – talent better than everyone else. In this episode, John Cashman breaks down how elite law firms actually close top laterals—mindset shifts, process, culture fit, and hands‑on leadership—and why the same...
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Michael Paul, CEO of MaraBio - Finding 'Ability' in Disability
Some CEOs hide behind the veil of invulnerability. Michael Paul, Ph.D., does the opposite—he believes that real leadership starts with choosing trust over armor. Michael was deeply influenced by the wisdom of Patrick Lencioni, never choose "invulnerability over trust." As CEO of MARAbio, he is...
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Molded from Clay – Chris Johnson Brings Bluebird Kids Health to Families Across America
Professor Clay Christensen was the famous business school professor who wrote the influential book, "The Innovator's Dilemma." Clay had a brilliant mind and was a strategic advisor to CEOs across the country. Less well know, was Clay's active role as a mentor to young, up-and-coming innovators.…
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“From Care to Character with Amanda Lukof: How Eleplan Transforms Families – and Ourselves”
Join us for a deeply human conversation with Amanda Lukof, founder of the groundbreaking Eleplan app and devoted caregiver to her autistic brother, Liam. In this episode, we explore how Eleplan is changing the game for families—making the chaos of care more manageable and freeing up precious time...
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The Neurodiverse Leadership Challenge – with Professor Keivan Stassun, Founder of Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University
Why do teams with neurodiverse talent often out-innovate more homogenous teams? Because solving complex problems require diversity of thought. As Steve Jobs used to say, "Think Different! " What's the catch? Leading these kinds of innovative teams isn't easy – in fact, it's very difficult. It...
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A True North Leader – Chris Male – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Autism Impact Fund
Every once in a while you're lucky enough to meet a values-driven leader who has the passion, the mind, and the skills to make the world a better place. Today's guest – Chris Male – is one of those trailblazers. His firm – The Autism Impact Fund (AIF) – is helping to solve what many experts...
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Like a Hollywood Talent Agency but for Top Business Leaders – with Dave Boehmer, CEO & Founder of Banff Advisors
Dave Boehmer was one of the top executive search professionals in the entire world. At the pinnacle of his career, he suddenly left the global giant, Heidrick & Struggles. Dave had an entrepreneurial itch. He wanted to create something new. He wanted to make an even bigger impact in the world. He...
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My Autistic Son Taught Me to Be a More Resilient Leader – with Adrian Jones, Goldman Sachs – Chairman & Co-Head, Global Private Equity, Asset Management
Adrian Jones is one of the classiest, humble, and resilient leaders I have ever met. Not just at Goldman Sachs, but at any company. His son Liam – received a diagnosis of profound autism at 2 years old. As you can imagine, this crucible experience forever changed the lives of Adrian and his...
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How His Autistic Son – Caleb – Helped Him Become a Better CEO – with Brian Harper, CEO of 11 North Partners.
Today's guest – Brian Harper – shares how his beautiful son, Caleb, who has profound autism, taught him how to be a better CEO, a better father, a better husband, and a better human being. Brian sits at the intersection of two brutally competitive, results-oriented industries – private equity and...
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Blair Berk – How Does a Jewish Girl from North Carolina Grow Up to Become One of the Country's Top Criminal Defense Lawyers?
Blair Berk was a little firecracker growing up deep in the heart of Dixie. Little did she know at the time – or did she? – that she was destined to become one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the entire country. Sure, she's smart as a whip. But the real secret sauce is her social...
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How Can Good Lawyers Become Great Leaders? – with Anastasia Boyko
I recently wrote an article called, "How Yale Law School is Becoming the Next Harvard Business School." In this article, I showcased Anastasia Boyko, who was an Assistant Dean at Yale Law School (#1 law school in the country) build one of the most inspiring leadership programs in the country…
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"I am in a Pacaso State of Mind" – with Founder & CEO, Austin Allison
Pacaso is more than a startup that allows individuals to buy a piece of a beautiful home...it's a state of mind. Being part of the Pacaso ecosystem helps people get off the day-to-day hamster wheel and focus on more important things in life, like relationships, discovery, and self-awareness....
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How Can Emerging Leaders Develop a Breakthrough Mindset? – with Larry Connor – Philanthropist, Founder, & CEO of The Connor Group
How many great business leaders – in the entire world – can you name who have done any of the following: A) Helped pilot a rocket into space; B) Built a hot air balloon that could ascend 38,000 feet; C) Jumped off that hot air balloon at maximum height; D) Won highly competitive, off-road car...
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Think Different. Can Autistic Children Develop into Innovative Leaders? - with Dr. Trenna Sutcliffe
"Think Different". That was the iconic tagline popularized by legendary Apple Founder, Steve Jobs. Autistic children have significant challenges – at work and at home. No doubt about it. But they also have a competitive advantage in the world of innovative leadership - they think different. Which...
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McDermott – The Ultimate Career Accelerator in Big Law, with Chairman, Ira Coleman
McDermott, Will & Emery is a leadership factory. They are career accelerators. This is their special sauce. It's what helps separate them from other elite, big law firms. It's why they are a talent magnet and have a unique, fun-loving, hard-working culture. Find out why firm Chair, Ira Coleman,...
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Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana - How I Feel About Antisemitism, Racism, and Violence on Campus - and How We are Changing Our 387 Year Old Culture
Harvard is an iconic, 387 year old institution of higher education. And it's time for a cultural overhaul. The events of the past year – racism, antisemitism, violence on campus, the removal of its president - have thrown their imperfections into stark relief for the world to see. Today’s guest -...
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What makes 2024 SEC Champion - Coach Bruce Pearl so Special - Authenticity & Auburn University?
Coach Bruce Pearl teaches his players to be 'great receivers.' Find out in today’s podcast what this means and why it's so important. Auburn Coach Pearl’s lessons of empathy and authenticity don't just apply in basketball – but in politics, business, and life. Get ready for the Big Dance....
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What I Learned Running for President of the United States - U.S. Representative, Dean Phillips
U.S. Representative Dean Phillips is an innovative leader. He has drawn praise from modern day business heroes - like hedge fund icon Bill Ackman - for his willingness to shake things up - like staid industries including vodka, gelato, and most recently, U.S. politics. He even threw his hat in…
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Humanizing Private Equity - Ted Bililies, Global Head of Transformative Leadership at Alix Partners
On any given day, a casual investor can tune into CNBC and be in total awe. Public companies are showcased and glamorized by messianic analysts in a concerted effort to push stock prices higher. But in reality, as I recently wrote, the future economy is increasingly being financed in private...
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Tim Connelly, Minnesota Timberwolves GM - The Emotionally Intelligent Leader
One of the best leaders in the NBA is today’s guest – Tim Connelly – General Manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Before billionaire owner Marc Lore and co-owner Alex Rodriguez lured him to Minnesota, Connelly worked side by side with Stan and Josh Kroenke and Coach Michael Malone - as the…
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The Milken Global Institute – Rich Ditizio, Chief Executive Officer – Creating A Psychologically Safe Space for World Leaders to Solve Intractable Challenges
The Milken Institute is a think (and action) tank - founded by legendary visionary Michael Milken - brings together brilliant people and world leaders to develop blueprints for tackling some of our planet's most critical problems including poverty, hunger, and chronic disease. Rich Ditizio is an...
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Love - the secret ingredient all great leaders share - with Monique and Melvin Rodriguez - founders of super brand, Mielle Organics
Mielle Organics - the hair care and beauty brand - is the fastest ever growing consumer startup in history of this industry - and was recently acquired by Procter & Gamble in a truly historic transaction that made headlines across the country. Yet their founders - Monique and Melvin Rodriguez…
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What NBA Champ Nikola Jokic can Teach CEOs about Leadership - with World Renowned Business Professor Dave Ulrich
What matters more to winning - superstar talent or the organization's system and culture? According to today's guest - Dave Ulrich - a world-class thought leader at the University of Michigan Business School - talent matters, but team work matters even more. The same rules apply in business and…
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Arguably Tom Brady's Most Important Mentor - Greg Harden - The Peak Performance GOAT
Superstars don't just emerge out of thin air. Every single one of them - including GOATs like Tom Brady and Michael Phelps- must overcome serious personal obstacles. And this usually happens early in life – in the pivotal teenage years. It might surprise you that Brady nearly gave up on football...
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Tim Brown - Chair IDEO - Where Innovators Turn for Inspiration
When the world's most innovative organizations need a little inspiration, they turn to IDEO. IDEO is the most iconic design studio in the world. Clients are far-ranging and global - from hot, new startups to ground-breaking school systems to entire nations - and of course iconic brands including...
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The Success Condition - Rey Flemings - Founder & CEO of Myria
Rey Flemings - the founder and CEO of an app called Myria - the world's most exclusive concierge service - is on a quest to change the world. Myria's ultra-wealthy clients - nearly all of whom are in the top .003% - come to Flemings with a wide range of requests, from relatively easy ones - like…
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Why Do Five Million People Trust Professor Robert Cialdini?
Every once in a while I'm stupid enough to get into an argument with my wife. Even when I win the battle (rarely), I lose the war (always). This paradox made me think about the art of influence. How do you persuade people in a way that both sides feel they've won? I turned to the world's…
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The Metamorphosis of Jason Karp - Founder, HumanCo - True Food, Snow Days, Cosmic Bliss, Grove Collaborative
What do Oprah Winfrey, Drew Barrymore, and Scarlett Johansson have in common with today's guest - Jason Karp? Every one of them is passionate about changing the way people eat - especially in the United States. And, they've all helped build some of the country's most amazing food brands including…
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Pixar Co-Founder Ed Catmull - The Hero's Journey
Ed Catmull is an enigma. There's a good chance you wouldn't recognize him if he were standing right next to you. Yet, he's the creative genius and co-founder of Pixar - a totally unique organization that has completely changed the way many of us think about movies, culture, and even what it means...
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Embracing Imperfection - Greg Sands, Founder Costanoa Ventures
Greg Sands isn't perfect. To name just a few of his imperfections: He had a serious fear of failure as a young athlete. He struggled to find his 'place' while a student at Harvard University. He doesn't particularly like following the rules. And there are times when he feels extremely insecure,...
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The Right Kind of Wrong - with Harvard Business School Professor, Amy Edmondson
Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson has been recognized as the #1 thought leader in the world. She literally revolutionized the way CEOs around the world think about psychological safety. In her new book - The Right Kind of Wrong - she takes this conceptual framework one big step...
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Doing Well by Doing Good - with Jennifer Nuckles, CEO R-Zero
Think of all the germs, bacteria, virus, and other airborne diseases we expose ourselves to every single day. Think how much worse this problem is when we are indoors, in closed spaces, and around lots of people. One last thing - consider that a full 90% of our time is spent indoors! Taken...
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G.H. Smart - The World's Best Leadership Advisory - with Founder, Geoff Smart
Today's guest - Geoff Smart - has literally revolutionized the way companies around the world think about talent and leadership. The leadership advisory Geoff founded - G.H. Smart - is on speed-dial of the world's top CEOs, private equity investors, and corporate board members - who call when...
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Succession - Not the HBO Hit Show, But Real Life Succession with Chairman of Tyson Foods, John Tyson
Long before 'Succession' - the hit TV Show on HBO, John Tyson was actually living this drama. His grandfather started a company called Tyson Foods in Springdale, Arkansas. Today the company employs over 120,000 people and supplies nearly a quarter of all the beef, pork and chicken in the entire...
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Get Out of Your Comfort Zone - Stan Van Gundy, Former NBA Coach and TNT Analyst
Stan Van Gundy - is an icon in sports and broadcasting. Before his current stint as a top basketball analyst at TNT, he was an NBA coach for several NBA teams, including the New Orleans Pelicans. According to Coach Van Gundy, the best talent - across all disciplines - not just in sports, but in...
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The Brand Leader - A Conversation with Vivaldi's Founder and CEO, Erich Joachimsthaler
Today's guest - Erich Joachimsthaler - is the #1 brand strategist on the planet. He built from scratch a top-ranked professional services firm - called Vivaldi_ - which regularly advises the world's most admired CEOs and chief marketing officers - on their most complex transformational issues....
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Kent Thiry - Inspiring a Future Generation of Transformational Leaders
Kent Thiry is one of the most admired and accomplished leaders in the country. For many years he was CEO and Board Chair of Davita - and now he is a philanthropist, a friend and a trusted advisor to high potential CEOs, politicians, environmental activists, and rising stars. Thiry also works...
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Marisa Thalberg - Using Soft Skills to Supercharge Iconic Brands - Taco Bell, Loews, and Estee Lauder
Today's guest - Marisa Thalberg - has successfully guided some of the country's most iconic brands through incredible transformations - including Lowe’s, Taco Bell, The Estée Lauder Companies. Here are just a few of the leadership qualities I noticed during our conversation - Intuition.…
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JFK Jr. - America's Reluctant Prince - As Told by His Old Friend Professor Steve Gillon
Imagine if your father was a famous U.S. President? Then, imagine your father's life being taken away in a brutal assassination. How would you recover? What impact would this have on your personality and well-being? Would you want to follow in your father's Presidential footsteps - or would you...
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Collective Genius in Health Care - with Dr. Rakesh Suri - and Harvard Business School Professor Linda Hill
Dr. Rakesh Suri is one of the top heart transplant surgeons in the world - with stints at both Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic - the top two hospitals in the world. Suri is also one of the most visionary leaders in the world. Recognizing his considerable gifts, Tony Robbins recently…
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Power Lawyer - Marcie Cleary - Helping Artists Achieve their Dreams ... and their Dollars
How did a sweet little girl from Memphis, Tennessee grow up to become one of the most admired entertainment lawyers in the country? Clients love her motto - never leave a dollar on the table when deal-making - even when negotiating against powerful entertainment conglomerates, iconic labels and...
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Elon Musk's Personal Lawyer - Alex Spiro
Why do modern day icons, athletes, and artist have Alex Spiro on speed dial? Why do they call him when they run into adversity? Why has Alex been called Elon Musk's personal lawyer? Because all of these leaders know it's wise to have the country's top legal mind in their corner. Alex plays by a...
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Building the Future of Leadership - Anna Barber, Partner M13
We are proud to welcome, Anna Barber! This country was built on the shoulders of great entrepreneurs and innovators – from Henry Ford to Steve Jobs to Elon Musk. But for all of the iconic legends we hear about daily in the national media – there are thousands upon thousands who fail miserably....
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The Real Shawshank Redemption - Dean Williams - Director, Colorado Prison System
"Lock him up, and throw away the key. Show no sympathy for hardened criminals - there is no hope." That's been the rallying cry among many, for decades, in our country. There's only one problem with this philosophy. It doesn't work! Today's guest - Dean Williams - Director of Colorado Department…
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Character Development - with Tricia Biggio, CEO & Founder of Invisible Universe
Imagine this - you're a parent in a crowded grocery store with your two kids - who have a total meltdown and start screaming for no apparent reason. Do you take a quick break, run to your car, have a good cry, and then come back to retrieve your upset kids? Of course not! Tricia Biggio - todays...
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A Good Eye for Great Leaders - Todd Zangrillo - True Search
True Search is the world's best talent advisory - helping iconic companies like Walmart, Spotfiy, Google, Warby Parker, and Fanatics - find and recruit the world's best leadership talent. Todd started alongside the founding team and was the founder of the Consumer practice at True - he shares on...
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A Recovering Perfectionist - Claire Schmidt - Founder/CEO AllVoices
There's a big problem in Corporate America. Not every employee voice is heard - many people are silenced or severely muffled. This causes many problems - less innovation, increased risk, elevated stress, and costly turnover. Allvoices has a solution - it's a novel software that gives every single...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Imperfect Leaders have?
Imperfect Leaders currently has 78 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Imperfect Leaders about?
There is no such thing as a perfect leader. We invite the country's most admired leaders to talk about their imperfections and leadership journey.
How often does Imperfect Leaders release new episodes?
Imperfect Leaders has 78 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Imperfect Leaders?
You can listen to Imperfect Leaders 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 Imperfect Leaders?
Imperfect Leaders is created and hosted by Jeffrey Cohn, Podcast Host.
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