12 Geniuses Podcast

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 intentionally marginalized. Our big brains have helped us create incredible tools and marvelous works of art. Still, they have a seemingly ingrained tendency toward violence and the marginalization of outside groups. As humans continue to create more devastating weaponry, performance psychologist Jim Loehr believes empathy and compassion are what can save us from us. In this interview, Dr. Loehr discusses “our species' penchant for aggression and violence.” To overcome our natural biological scarcity mindset, Dr. Loehr goes on to talk about a 20-week program he has developed for parents, teachers, and coaches that aims to create shared learning environments where people can strengthen their compassion and empathy muscles, practice acts of collaboration, and train themselves to manage their emotions to avoid aggressive overreactions.Dr. Jim Loehr is a world-renowned performance psychologist, whose ground-breaking, science-based energy management training system has achieved global recognition. From his more than 30 years of experience and applied research, Dr. Loehr believes the single most important factor in successful achievement, personal fulfillment, and life satisfaction is the strength of one’s character. He strongly contends that character strength can be built in the same way that muscle strength is built through energy investment, and has brought this topic to life in his book, Leading with Character: 10 Minutes a Day to a Brilliant Legacy. His latest book is Sapiens Reinvented.

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, Marshall has been trying to give away everything he has learned about leadership and coaching for free. He sees it as his legacy and the way he can most benefit humanity. Enter MarshallGoldsmith.ai - a bot that brings the compendium of Marshall’s knowledge and much, much more to leaders at no cost.In this interview, Marshall discusses his efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into his coaching philosophy and the competencies necessary to be an effective leader in an AI world. Marshall shares his thoughts on how AI will transform humanity and he talks about the mistakes we are making today, with an emphasis on the propensity of people to judge other people, that the people living 50 years from now will look back at in disbelief. Dr. Marshall Goldsmith has been recognized as one of the Top Ten Business Thinkers and the top-rated executive coach in the world. Published in 2015, his book Triggers is a Wall Street Journal and New York Times #1 Bestseller. He’s also the author of New York Times best seller and #1 Wall Street Journal Business Book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, winner of the Harold Longman Award as Best Business Book of the Year. With nearly 40 years of hands-on experience, Marshall Goldsmith is the leading expert on leadership and coaching for behavioral change. His latest book, The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment, was co-written with Mark Reiter and was released in 2022.

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 other high-pressure situations, including the drawdown of U.S. forces in Niger. In this interview, Maj. Gen. Ekman discusses three topics in detail - leadership, managing pressure, and the future of Africa. He describes the leadership model he believes yields the best results for teams, how to prepare a team to execute a mission, the concept of “disagree and commit,” and managing change as a leader. Referencing his experience as a command pilot, Maj. Gen. Ekman talks about the methods he has used for managing stress and high-pressure situations, building trust when the stakes are life and death, and how he has developed resilience over the course of his career. The conversation ends with Maj. Gen. Ekman detailing why Africa is important to the United States and how their shifting demographics, along with their abundance of natural resources, will make Africa a more important global influence throughout the rest of the 21st century. Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman is the Department of Defense West Africa Coordination Element Lead, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart Möhringen, Germany. In this capacity, he coordinates with African militaries, the U.S. interagency, and allies to build unity of effort, maximize the effectiveness of operations, activities and investments, and ensure alignment with U.S. whole of government efforts to advance posture initiatives and campaign objectives in West Africa.

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 mobility had become limited, he was irritable, sleep was difficult, energy was low, and he wondered if he would ever be able to restore a life that was without constant discomfort. In this interview, Don turns over the host microphone to his friend Jason Lauritsen to discuss what Don learned about himself and becoming resilient. Don and Jason discuss how being open to feedback was crucial in helping Don realize that he needed to improve his health, how an audit of Don’s values helped him understand that his family would suffer if he didn’t take care of what ailed him, why this story might be relatable to others who are experiencing chronic pain and those who are living with someone in chronic pain, and how Don has gained a renewed sense of optimism about the future from this experience. They go on to talk about why building resilience is vital for anyone who wants to have a long, successful, fulfilling life and Don shares what he would like to do with the next 25 years of his life. Don MacPherson is CEO of 12 Geniuses and host of the 12 Geniuses podcast. He is also a founder of Home at Home, an organization that offers a comprehensive range of services, from home assessments to renovations, to make aging in place not only possible but truly fulfilling.A dynamic keynote speaker, Jason Lauritsen is a true thought leader in the world of work and employee engagement who is dedicated to revolutionizing the way we Lead With Relationship™. He fearlessly challenges traditional norms to reshape the employee experience by consistently placing authentic human connection at the heart of leadership. Jason is the author of two books, Unlocking High Performance and Social Gravity. Jason’s thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Talent Management magazine, HR Executive magazine, and SHRM publications.

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 ascent in the competitive sports media environment. She is also the author of the book “Nobody Cares About Your Career.” In this interview with Erika, she discusses her willingness to take risks, how she thinks about career development, the roles of mentors in assisting her success, her approach to getting over the need to be perfect, and she discusses the CEO’s role in cultivating the company culture that will help an organization succeed. Erika Ayers Badan is the CEO of Food52 and the former CEO of Barstool Sports. During her tenure at Barstool from 2016 to 2024, Erika transformed the organization from a regional blog to a national powerhouse operation leading to a 5,000% increase in overall revenue, making it one of the most innovative and successful internet media brands. Before joining Barstool, Erika held several leadership positions in media and technology at Microsoft, AOL, Demand Media, and Yahoo. She has been extensively recognized for her innovation in the industry, including being named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women in Sports amongst other achievements. Erika currently serves on the boards of the Premier Lacrosse League, Axon Enterprise (AXON), and Malaria No More. She is the author of the book “Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure is Good, The Great Ones Play Hurt and Other Hard Truths.”

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 “smart, purposeful choices that shape a better tomorrow - personally and professionally.”In this interview, Seth shares his definition of what strategy is, what people are getting right about strategy, and the systems he sees that are shaping the world. Seth goes on to discuss how leaders need to be thinking about strategy in a fast-changing, A.I. (tech-centric) world. He finishes the discussion by talking about the mistakes we are making in 2024 that the people of 2074 will look back at in disbelief and he shares what fills him with a sense of optimism.For more than thirty years, Seth Godin has been trying to “turn on lights, inspire people and teach them how to level up.” He is the author of more than 20 best-selling books, including his latest book This Is Strategy. He is an entrepreneur who, after selling one of his companies to Yahoo, became Yahoo’s vice president of direct marketing. Seth’s blog is one of the most popular in the world with more than 8,000 posts and a million readers. He is a member of the Marketing Hall of Fame.

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 democracy for generations to come. Layla goes on to talk about the progress being made by younger lawmakers in bridging the partisan divide, America’s position as a leading democracy in the world, and what the responsibilities are for citizens in order for democracy to continue to thrive. Layla Zaidane is President & CEO of Future Caucus, the largest nonpartisan organization of young lawmakers in the United States. Future Caucus works with over 1,800 Millennial and Gen Z elected leaders in Congress and state legislatures to bridge divides, collaborate on future-oriented policy, and scale a healthy culture of democracy. Prior to joining Future Caucus, Layla served as the Managing Director for Generation Progress and helped launch the It’s On Us campaign in partnership with the White House in 2014, and launched the Higher Ed, Not Debt campaign in 2013. She was named by Fusion as one of 30 Women Under 30 Who Will Change the Election. A nationally recognized expert on youth engagement, Layla has been featured in outlets including Forbes, Teen Vogue, The New York Times, The Washington Post, U.S. News and World Report, and Refinery29.Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us.

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 how to tackle the problem among the candidates running for higher office. If the majority of us are united on this issue, how do we have better discourse to find productive solutions? In this interview, Benji Backer shares his experience building consensus among conservatives and liberals to make progress on climate change.In this conversation, Benji highlights some of the bipartisan climate legislation that has passed in the United States in recent history. He talks about how the American Conservation Coalition and other partners have led the way to help lawmakers prioritize the environment and climate issues. Benji goes on to discuss where climate change ranks in importance for voters, where people can get useful information about climate politics, and he even talks about how artificial intelligence anxiety is supplanting climate change as a political issue. Benji Backer is President and Founder of the American Conservation Coalition, the largest right-of-center environmental organization in the country. He has been awarded the Fortune 40 Under 40, Forbes 30 Under 30, GreenBiz 30 Under 30, and Grist 50 for his work with the ACC. He serves as a Board member for the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum and Mainstream Republicans of Washington. A frequent contributor to multiple national media outlets, Benji is one of the leading youth environmental voices in the country. 

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 we can do to counter America’s lack of faith in the pillars that make our democracy tick.In this conversation, Tara discusses the extent of the disinformation problem in the United States and where it is concentrated, what individuals and organizations are creating it, why people are drawn to outrageous news stories, and the health of societies that suffer from rampant disinformation. She goes on to talk about the incredible progress the United States has made in advancing human rights, where people can go to find trustworthy news sources, and she finishes with what fills her with a sense of optimism. Tara McGowan is the founder and publisher of COURIER, a fast-growing left-leaning news network with local newsrooms in eleven states. COURIER is building a more informed, engaged, and representative democracy by reaching tens of millions of Americans where they are online with factual, values-driven news that inspires civic participation. A former journalist and political strategist, Tara has seen firsthand how America’s growing information chasm has contributed to increased polarization and the rising threat of authoritarianism. Earlier in her career, Tara led some of the largest digital advertising and marketing programs supporting progressive causes and candidates in U.S. politics, including at ACRONYM, Priorities USA, NextGen Climate, and as a digital strategist on President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us. 

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 average age in America is under 40. About two-thirds of U.S. adults back an age ceiling on candidates for president and Congress and a mandatory retirement age for judges. As we head into an election cycle across all levels of government, how do we vet and position younger candidates who don’t possess a track record to match more seasoned opponents? How can younger candidates take on entrenched incumbents and win? In this interview, Steven Olikara provides insights from his own Senate candidacy experience and as a founder of the largest nonpartisan organization of young elected leaders in America. Steven discusses why getting younger representation in government strengthens democracy, the wisdom and experience that older politicians provide, his ideas on term limits, and how voters should be thinking about the future. Steven Olikara is a nationally recognized changemaker, entrepreneur, and speaker at the intersection of media, politics, and culture. He serves as the founding President of Bridge Entertainment Labs (BEL) and as Senior Fellow for Political Transformation at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Steven founded Future Caucus (formerly Millennial Action Project), the largest cross-partisan organization of young elected leaders in the U.S. In 2022, he made history as the first South Asian candidate for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, garnering national attention for his debate performance and fresh approach to politics. Steven is an on-air political commentator for both national and Wisconsin media. His analysis has been featured on CNN, NBC News, Fox News, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today, Variety, and more.Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us.