The Three Best Leadership Podcasts to Listen to Right Now

Leaders are not born to lead; they grow over time. At adidas, we believe that anyone can build upon the 3 Cs of leadership, to become a leader in their field. You just need to invest some time into what type of leader you want to become. Need some inspiration? We’ve got you covered! Here are a handful of the best leadership podcasts to get you going.

Hosted by Modupe Akinola of Columbia Business School, TED Business is one of the best leadership podcasts for anyone striving to overcome challenges in their position. The first half of each show includes a quick TED talk from some of the most influential leadership experts. In the second part, Modupe teaches you how to apply those lessons in your daily work.

Two episodes to look out for:

In this episode, leadership scholar and professor at Harvard Business School, Amy C. Edmondson talks about the importance of being transparent and humble in unpredictable times. She highlights the role of psychological safety in the workplace and how it enables people to speak up without fear.

After Amy’s talk, Modupe breaks down how you can apply her leadership concept to inspire and develop those around you in times of disruption.

Listen here.

As a CEO, Lorna Davis experienced the highs and lows of leadership, especially when working on hitting those bigger goals. Instead of trying to be the champion of each challenge, she learned to embrace uncertainty and depend on others.

After talking about shaking off a hero mentality and committing to a more collaborative form of leadership, Modupe explains in detail how to apply Lorna’s lessons at any stage of your career.

Listen here.

Brené Brown’s podcast Dare to Lead follows her #1 New York Times best-selling book of the same name. Inviting some of the biggest changemakers – from presidents to doctors – Brené stays true to her goal of creating a playbook for leaders of all levels. The quality of conversations she platforms on her show makes Dare to Lead one of the best leadership podcasts out there.

Two episodes to look out for:

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Lewis explains the concept of failure and why so many people think about it in the wrong way. The best leaders don’t personalize failure, instead they focus on new beginnings.

Find out how successful leaders approach the creative process and go from zero to success.

Listen here.

Making complex leadership decisions is part and parcel of being president. In this episode, Brené sits down with President Barack Obama who explains the higher up you get, the more challenges you’ll face. Challenges that often don’t have a perfect solution.

This episode will show you how to go from the paralysis of analysis and trying to find perfection, to making difficult leadership decisions despite uncertainty.

Listen here.

With As Told By Nomads, Tayo Rockson interviews global nomads, and entrepreneurs to discuss cultural complexities in business and communication. Tayo hosts one of the best leadership podcasts that recognizes the importance of interconnectivity.

Two episodes to look out for:

In this episode, organizational leadership expert Doug Gray discusses how to quantify results in your team. He talks about how to achieve outcome-based leader development that cultivates higher moral and better performance. From the meaning of OKR leadership to how you can apply it, this is a value-packed episode you should not miss.

Listen here.

You may have heard of the transformational leader, the visionary leader, or the innovative leader. But have you heard about a responsive leader? In this episode, Tayo talks with Jackie Jenkins-Scott about how value-driven leadership can transform teams and organizations.

With over three decades of experience in leadership coaching, Jackie shares some incredible tips on how to become a responsive leader at every level.

Listen here.