Imperfect Leaders

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 huge studios.   But that begs the real question. What is it - exactly - about her negotiation style and leadership skills that truly set her apart?  www.imperfectleaders.com

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 different rule book - and his win/loss record is indisputable. Not only does Alex help clients in the heat of battle - during a high-stakes trial, for example - he also helps clients grow stronger and become even more resilient leaders.   Spiro is the ultimate 'fight doctor' - like Ferdie Pacheco was to Muhammad Ali - a loyal guru ready to repair deep cuts in the heat of battle - and instill confidence - into champions who are quite literally changing the world. www.imperfectleaders.com 

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. Transforming a great idea into a great company takes leadership skills.  Developing those 'soft' skills is hard work. Today’s guest – Anna Barber – is a CEO whisperer - and her superpower is helping hard-charging entrepreneurs become great leaders. I've heard many entrepreneurs rave about Anna - including former guests on this show - Sid Pandiya (Kona) and Claire Schmidt (AllVoices) - two amazing CEO/founders. Anna is a partner at the red hot venture capital firm - M13 - and one of the reasons why founders flock to the VC firm for capital, advice, and an unparalleled, long-term relationship. www.imperfectleaders.com - to join private discussions

"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 of Corrections - implemented a fundamentally different vision during his four-year tenure - one that embraced humanity, hope, and even vulnerability. The results are nothing short of amazing. It's one of the most impressive cultural transformation initiatives in the history of Colorado - public or private - and required incredible leadership skills to bring to life. Listening to the stories of the formerly incarcerated - like this one from Bernard Hurley - are truly inspirational and settle the debate once and for all - yes indeed, there are second chances in this country.  To join private conversations with leadership experts, www.imperfectleaders.com. 

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 guest is a mother and the founder of a cool new company called Invisible Universe. She says these anxiety-provoking feelings happen all the time, both as a mom and when running a fast paced, venture backed startup. There are many times - almost daily - during which you feel like crying or screaming or shutting down completely.  But you can't, because you're the CEO - and everyone is watching - and listening your every word - and even analyzing your body language.   It's true, the CEO's personal style and character truly does impact the culture of the entire organization. And at Invisible, Biggio has created a culture of fearless honesty - a psychologically safe space in which all employees are inspired to give direct and brutally honest feedback during the creative and new character development process.  Invisible Universe is destined to become the next Pixar, but even better. Even though they are still in startup mode, they have quickly amassed an impressive list of creative partners and top venture investors including:  Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian; the D'Amelio family, (a.k.a. the first family of Tik Tok); and of course, Clydeo, a character based on Jennifer Aniston's actual dog; and Spencer Rascoff. To join private conversations with our guests and leadership experts - visit www.imperfectleaders.com.

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 today's podcast his incredible journey of self awareness and leadership development.  Anyone looking to sharpen their leadership skills or perhaps become a CEO of a great company should listed carefully to Todd's inspiring story and practical advice. To join private conversations with our guests and leadership experts - visit www.imperfectleaders.com.

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 employee in an organization a strong voice - that is guaranteed to be heard - and acted upon - by the right people at the right time. Claire Schmidt is not only the founder of Allvoices, she is a direct beneficiary of feedback generated by the software her team created. Her company has experienced massive growth since its inception a few years ago and has attracted some of the smartest investors in the country like Silverton Partners, Spencer Rascoff, Necessary Ventures, and M13 Ventures. As a result of this early success, Claire has had to build new leadership skills and adjust her style - like getting out of the weeds, not being such a perfectionist, and delegating even more to others. Her vulnerability and authenticity shines through in this candid discussion. To share thoughts with today's podcast guest - Claire Schmidt - or future guests - join our community at www.imperfectleaders.com.

Roughly 99% of college athletes - all with big talent and big dreams - will never turn pro. They’ll have to make their living doing something other than what they’ve spent thousands of hours perfecting in the sports arena.  But the good news is that most athletes have developed soft skills and leadership acumen - like resilience, judgement, and teamwork - that is not only fungible, but downright critical in todays fast moving, unpredictable business world. In other words, they’ll have a big leg up after graduation.  Todays guests - Blake Lawrence and Adi Kunalic- are living proof. They were both former college athletes who rely on their leadership skills , every single day, to ensure their relatively new company becomes a unicorn in a fast growing industry that helps athletes profit from their name image and likeness. Share your thoughts and suggest future podcast guests at -  www.imperfectleaders.com.

Amy Edmondson - the immensely popular professor at the Harvard Business School - has done amazing research on the benefits of psychological safety. Great companies create a culture that not only allows - but encourages - people with diverse points of view to openly express ideas and to challenge one another.   Today's guest - Sid Pandiya - is the co-founder of Kona - a software company that has created a practical tool that helps companies bring Professor Edmondson's ideas to life. Kona software helps companies create a psychologically safe culture that enhances mental health and reduces burnout and turnover. It also helps employees become more self aware and empathic - the main ingredients of emotional intelligence - as Daniel Goleman espoused nearly 25 years ago.    It's been an amazing journey for Sid and his co-founders - Andrew and Corine.  They've faced incredible leadership challenges along the way. But they are determined to achieve their vision of helping companies supercharge their culture - enabled in part through Kona software solutions. Share your thoughts and suggest future podcast guests at -  www.imperfectleaders.com.

Should a couple of speeding tickets - or perhaps a big, brand new house - disqualify a top CEO candidate?  Should hiring companies investigate - or even care about - the personal lives of top executive prospects? Today's guest - Professor Aiyesha Dey, Harvard Business School - is a governance expert who recently conducted fascinating research on exactly this topic - and Corporate America should pay attention to her practical and well-researched advice. Like all human beings, CEOs are complex and may have a dark side. Rather than ignore these warning signs, smart boards of directors gather as much intelligence as possible on candidates during the CEO succession process, even if that means investigating the personal lives for important clues on rule bending, self-control and humility. Armed with multiple data points, Boards are able to see the full picture, manage risks, and up-skill their governance capabilities. Any comments, questions or thoughts to share with today's podcast guest - Professor Aiyesha Dey - join our community at www.imperfectleaders.com.