Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

Instagram: @innovativeleader

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About Our Guest:

Susan Howe is Chief Executive Officer of The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC), the leading earned-first strategic communications and consulting network spanning 60+ global markets. Under her leadership, TWSC serves Fortune 500 companies across every major industry sector, earning coveted recognition such as PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year and PRovoke’s Global Agency of the Decade, as well as being named to Ad Age’s Agency A-list and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. TWSC has 225+ Cannes Lions and counting.

With more than two decades of leadership at TWSC, Susan has been a key driver of its growth in her roles as President, Chief Growth Officer and Chief Collaboration Officer, overseeing global operations and fostering collaboration across regions and practices.

As a passionate advocate for inclusion and women in business, Susan is a member of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women community. She also serves on the boards of the Sheppard Pratt Foundation and the Northwestern Alumni Association. Susan is a graduate of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and was recently inducted into the Medill Hall of Achievement, the highest honor awarded to Medill graduates.

S3 Ep 2 - A CEO’s Three Ms: Mountaineering, Mindsets, and Modernizing Leadership

Guest: Aldo Boitano

What does climbing K2 – the world’s second-highest and deadliest mountain – teach about leadership?

Pretty much everything, according to guest Aldo Boitano. The CEO, founder, consultant, and former International Leadership Association board member reveals how his mountain climbing and Antarctic expeditions taught him the most critical skills modern leaders need.

Here's what Aldo and Maureen cover:

How mountaineering builds resilience, adaptability, and (increasingly rare in today’s leaders) patience;
Why exposure to uncomfortable perspectives provides hidden power; and
How stepping outside your comfort zone sparks your own development.

TRIGGER WARNING: The topic of suicide arises in the conversation around the seven-minute point.

Produced in collaboration with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- Leading from Within: A Former Navy SEAL on Transforming Yourself to Lead Others – with Diego Ugalde

- How Great Leaders Are Made: Insights from The Economist’s “Boss Class” – with Andrew Palmer

- Leading through Difference with Mike Hardy

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

The book Aldo mentioned is Breaking the Zero-Sum Game: Transforming Societies through Inclusive Leadership. It’s available on Amazon in paperback at https://amzn.to/3VbDpSZ and on Kindle at https://amzn.to/3VbDpSZ. Learn more about Aldo on his LinkedIn page: linkedin.com/in/aldoboitano .

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

CONNECT WITH US:

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Dr. Aldo Boitano is the former CEO and Co-Founder at CleanTech Lithium, a carbon neutral lithium development company in Chile. Its mission is to be the greenest lithium supplier to the EV market. In addition to his decades of broad international leadership experience, Aldo is a world class mountaineer and active philanthropist, designing and executing curricula for internal training courses and outdoor leadership experiential programs to be used in an educational sequence (5th grade - senior classes) for empowering low-income school students.

S11 Ep18: Disrupted! How to Break Free of Your Old Leadership Habits

Guest: Mark Monchek

What on earth is an Unconference?

Traditional leadership models are cracking under the weight of today’s rapid change. Strategist and unconference co-creator Mark Monchek reveals why legacy leadership models—top-down authority, rigid planning, and competition-first thinking—are no longer fit for a world defined by disruption. The solution will come through the unconference: a new, intensive, and far more effective way to grow as a leader. It can reshape leadership development through collaboration, experiential learning, and ongoing community.

Here's what Mark and Maureen cover:

Why control-based leadership is losing effectiveness;
How AI is changing the skills leaders need to be successful (for one, they have to learn to be more human!; and
The unconference format, and how that leads to more rapid and meaningful leadership growth.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- Steer Your Career to the Next Tier with Tammy Alvarez

- The Job I Love to Hate with Tammy Alvarez

- Leading with Care & Purpose with Raj Sisodia & Sudhanshu Palsule

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

Learn more about the Unconference Mark and Maureen will be part of at https://unconferencenyc.com/. Mark’s own company has more information about his work at https://opplab.com/.

Mark’s book is Culture of Opportunity: How to Grow Your Business in an Age of Disruption. It’s in paperback at https://amzn.to/4oxilEb, and Kindle at https://amzn.to/3JecZ0w.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Procucer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

Instagram: @innovativeleader

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Mark Monchek is the founder of Opportunity Lab, a strategy and leadership development firm that provides the direction, systems, and tools to take organizations to the next level of substantial growth.

Mark has worked with leaders from Google, Apple, JPMorgan Chase, General Electric, Goldman Sachs, Adorama, TerraCycle, Feltsberg, The New York Times, Wharton School of Business, New York University, Columbia University, NBC, Time Warner, and the United Nations.

He’s the author of the Amazon nonfiction bestseller Culture of Opportunity: How to Grow Your Business in an Age of Disruption. Mark has been featured in Real Leaders, The Better Business Book, the Organization Development Review Journal, Lifetime Network, WPLJ, WCBS, Newsday, Working Women Magazine, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

S4 Ep10B - Forget Power: How to Lead in a World of Chaos & Complexity

Guest: Michelle Harrison, Global CEO of Verian

What does it take to lead when trust is collapsing and change won’t slow down?

Based on the real-world issues faced by her clients, Dr. Harrison shares bold insights on leading through crisis, restoring public trust, and driving innovation in both government and business. She explores the role of intellectual curiosity, adaptive learning, and values-driven culture in building resilient, high-performing teams during turbulent times. Essential listening for leaders navigating complexity and change.

Here's what Michelle and Maureen cover:

The global trust crisis in governments and corporations;
Why collaboration is no longer an option; and
How Michelle builds high-performing, values-driven teams.

Produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/ .

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- The Leadership Balancing Act with Michelle Harrison

- How Purpose-Driven Women Redefine Leadership with Karen Longman

- Lessons from Governors, Athletes, & Activists on Growing Women Leaders with Susan Madsen

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

You can learn more about Michelle Harrison’s company, Verian, on their website at https://www.veriangroup.com/ .

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

CONNECT WITH US:

- How Five Types of Followers Make (or Brake) a Toxic Leader

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Dr. Michelle Harrison works as an advisor to governments and corporations around the world to build and deliver better public policy. She was the Founding CEO of Verian, leading the organisation for its first decade, during which time she established it as a division of Kantar and then led its evolution to a privately owned independent company and the largest specialist public policy consulting business outside of the US.

She is Chair of the Verian Institute for Public Impact, and a regular platform speaker and media commentator on issues of geopolitical and social change. Michelle was previously the Founding Global CEO of the WPP’s Government and Public Sector Practice, which pioneered a paradigm shift in applied behaviour change communications for public policy and scaled across every continent.

Throughout her career, Michelle has held NED and Trustee roles in the areas of public realm innovation and social investment, including at Nesta (2012 – 2018) and Social Finance (2019 – 2025). She has served on numerous advisory committees for U.K. government. She sits on the Advisory Board of the Reykjavik Global Forum and is the co-founder of The Reykjavik Index for Leadership.

S11 Ep17: To Stop a Tyrant: The Power of Followers

Guest: Ira Chaleff

What can you do when leadership at work crosses the line into authoritarian control?

We talk about authoritarians in politics, but they’re in the business world, too…and on the rise there. In this timely and provocative episode, Maureen Metcalf interviews Ira Chaleff, author of To Stop a Tyrant and The Courageous Follower, to explore how power is exercised, and challenged, inside both governments and organizations.

Here's what Ira and Maureen cover:

How authoritarian behavior is rising in business as well as politics;
The difference between dissent and disloyalty;
Why political acuity is essential for ethical influence

Learn more from Ira’s in-depth knowledge of followership in these past episodes:

- The Dance Between Leadership & Followership – Margaret Heffernan joins Ira

- Courageous Followership – Neil Grunberg joins Ira

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

Ira’s book, To Stop a Tyrant, is available now on Amazon in hardback at https://amzn.to/3W5XDys and on Kindle at https://amzn.to/420Zvwc. An audiobook edition is on Audible.com as well.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Procucer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Ira Chaleff is an author, speaker, and innovative thinker specializing in the dynamics between leaders and followers. He serves as chairman emeritus of the nonpartisan Congressional Management Foundation in Washington, D.C., an organization dedicated to enhancing communication between constituents and their elected representatives.

Chaleff's groundbreaking work, The Courageous Follower: Standing Up to and for Our Leaders, has been published in multiple languages and is utilized globally across educational, corporate, government, and military institutions. He co-edited The Art of Followership: How Great Followers Create Great Leaders and Organizations, part of the esteemed Warren Bennis Leadership Series. His book Intelligent Disobedience: Doing Right When What You're Told to Do Is Wrong explores the roots of obedience and provides guidance on resisting inappropriate orders to achieve ethical outcomes.

As the founder of the Followership Learning Community within the International Leadership Association, Chaleff has been recognized as one of the 100 "Best Minds on Leadership" by Leadership Excellence magazine. He has served on the board of the International Leadership Association and was a visiting leadership scholar at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, England. His ideas on leadership and followership have influenced cultures within the U.S. military, civilian agencies, and international institutions, including the European Union and the British Army.

Chaleff holds a degree in Applied Behavioral Science and is a Board Certified Coach from the Center for Credentialing and Education. He continues to contribute to the global followership community through writing and lecturing from his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

S4 Ep11: The Power of Polarity Thinking: How Great Leaders Leverage Opposites

Guest: Dr. Barry Johnson

If you think you have to solve problems, think again. You might be better off leveraging tensions instead!

Dr. Barry Johnson, creator of the Polarity Map®, joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore how “both/and” thinking helps leaders navigate complexity, avoid false choices, and drive sustainable performance. From clarity and flexibility to structure and innovation, Barry shares how thriving organizations—and societies—balance competing values rather than pick sides. It’s called polarity thinking…and it works. Packed with stories from the U.S. Navy, Singapore Airlines, and South Africa, this conversation offers a powerful framework for leading in uncertain times.

Here's what Barry and Maureen cover:

Why choosing a side or over-focusing on one side of an issue can lead to conflict, instead of solving it – and, in extreme cases, break down your organization;
How high-performing organizations depend on well-managed tension; and
Spotting the false choices that will keep your team stuck.

Produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- The Leadership Balancing Act with Michelle Harrison

- A Prime Minister’s Path for Meeting Challenges with George Papandreou

- Navigating Touch Decisions with former Canadian Chief Justic Beverley McLachlin

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

The website to learn more about Barry’s work is https://www.polaritypartnerships.com/.

Barry’s books include And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarities, Paradox or Dilemma (on Amazon at https://amzn.to/45gnfO0 ) and Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems (https://amzn.to/3IyjqLx ).

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

NOTE: As an Amazon partner, we may make a small commission from books you buy through these links.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

CONNECT WITH US:

- The 10 Leadership Skills You Need to Safely Adopt AI

Loved this episode? Subscribe, like, and leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Barry Johnson created the first Polarity Map® and set of principles in 1975. Since then he has been learning and applying Polarity Thinking® with people and organizations all over the world. He continues to explore and promote supplementing Or-thinking with And-thinking to enhance our quality of life on our planet.

With humility And pride, Barry is passionate about creating an international community of Polarity Practitioners who are dedicated to the study and application of Polarities in a variety of disciplines and situations.

Barry’s newest publications, And: Volume One – Foundations and And: Volume Two – Applications, represent what he and his colleagues have learned about And-thinking since his first book, Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems, came out in 1992.

Barry is an avid outdoorsman and intrepid traveler. He brings his head and heart together in his teaching and consulting. Barry and his wife, Dana, have five children and eleven grandchildren.

S11 Ep16: AI at Work: The Human Side of Tech Transformation

Guest: Neil Sahota, United Nations AI Advisor

From internal sabotage and mistrust to ethical blind spots and cultural misalignment, this conversation dives deep into the real reasons AI transformations succeed or stall…and the solutions you need to make AI work in your company. You’ll also hear powerful examples of machine-human collaboration, the rise of AI bosses, and why trust is now a core leadership metric.

Here's what Neil and Maureen cover:

The #1 reason AI rollouts fail – and how you can avoid it;
How to assess your organization’s readiness for AI; and
Practical strategies to build buy-in, trust, and adaptability.

Neil’s other binge-worthy episodes about AI are:

- Unleashing the Power of Human-AI Collaboration

- How to Own the AI Revolution

- And, of course, the first part of this interview: Why AI at Work Fails

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Neil’s book, Own the AI Revolution, is available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4kx4af3, and on Audible at https://amzn.to/4lgS0rK.

Learn more about Neil on his website at https://www.neilsahota.com/. He shares his latest observations on AI in the workplace on his Substack channel at neilsahota@substack.com.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

The book Maureen and Neil referenced which they wrote together is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

- The 10 Leadership Skills You Need to Safely Adopt AI

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

-----------------------

About Our Guest:

Neil Sahota (萨冠军) is an IBM Master Inventor, United Nations (UN) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisor, author of the best-seller Own the AI Revolution and sought-after speaker. With 20+ years of business experience, he works to inspire clients and business partners to foster innovation and develop next generation products/solutions powered by AI.

S11-Ep15: -Why AI at Work Fails – And What the UN’s AI for Good Advisor Says You Can Do Differently

Guest: Neil Sahota, United Nations AI Advisor

Most AI failures aren’t caused by bad code. They’re caused by bad leadership.

In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf talks with UN AI advisor and IBM Master Inventor Neil Sahota to uncover the 5 fatal mistakes most organizations make when adopting AI. From the myth that AI is "just software" to the risk of automating bad processes, Neil explains why 4 out of 5 failures are human and leadership-based, not technical. Learn how treating AI like a high-energy intern, not a black box, transforms your success rate. This episode is a must for leaders looking to build effective, ethical, and future-ready AI strategies.

Here's what Neil and Maureen cover:

The real business pain points when adopting AI apps at your company;
How bias and hallucinations sneak into AI when you rely on your tech team over your subject matter experts; and
Why AI amplifies your mistakes as well as your strengths.

Neil’s other binge-worthy episodes about AI are:

- Unleashing the Power of Human-AI Collaboration

- How to Own the AI Revolution

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Neil’s book, Own the AI Revolution, is available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4kx4af3, and on Audible at https://amzn.to/4lgS0rK.

Learn more about Neil on his website at https://www.neilsahota.com/. He shares his latest observations on AI in the workplace on his Substack channel at neilsahota@substack.com.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

The book Maureen and Neil referenced which they wrote together is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

-----------------------

OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

-----------------------

About Our Guest:

Neil Sahota (萨冠军) is an IBM Master Inventor, United Nations (UN) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisor, author of the best-seller Own the AI Revolution and sought-after speaker. With 20+ years of business experience, he works to inspire clients and business partners to foster innovation and develop next generation products/solutions powered by AI.

S4-Ep10: Leadership in Crisis: Why Leaders Fail (& How to Help)

Guest: Sebastian Salicru, Psychologist & Author

Are we training leaders for a world that no longer exists?

Leadership expert and psychologist Sebastian Salicru joins host Maureen Metcalf to tackle one of today’s most pressing challenges: the failure of traditional leadership in a world defined by complexity and change. More importantly, they explore what today’s leaders actually need to succeed in a high-velocity world.

Here's what Sebastian and Maureen cover:

The breakdown and downfall of the heroic leader;
Why the billions of dollars spent on leadership development aren’t delivering results;
The very real yet positive role of failure and suffering in building great leaders; and
Why we must challenge the outdated mental models holding leadership back.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- Tales from the Top: How Leaders Use Stories with Dr. Tanvi Gautam

- The Rise of Humanness with Chris Nolan & Michael Schindler

- Leading with Care & Purpose with Raj Sisodia & Sudhanshu Palsule

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Sebastian has a website filled with information on his leadership work at https://ptspsychology.com/.

His book, Leadership Results, is available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4nulK66.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter ever y week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

-----------------------

OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

CONNECT WITH US:

Instagram: @innovativeleader