Claim OwnershipThe 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast
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© 2020 Zenger Folkman- The 90th Percentile Podcast
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Using over 1.5 million assessments from leaders worldwide, renowned psychometrician Dr. Joseph Folkman and leadership legend Dr. Jack Zenger are here to settle the leadership debates and let the data speak for itself. Each week they analyze different leadership traits, trends, and what it really takes to get to the 90th percentile. These short episodes feature compelling stories, research, and actions that leaders can take to improve. Learn more at https://zengerfolkman.com/podcasts/.
188 Episodes
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Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we sit down with Kathleen Crenshaw and Christopher Bisgrove from Desert Financial Credit Union to explore how they are rethinking leadership development and investing in people. From building programs that reach leaders earlier in their careers to making learning opportunities more accessible, Desert Financial shares the principles … Continued
The post Episode 174: Making Development Popular with Desert Financial Credit Union first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details What if great leadership could go viral? In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, Dr. Jack Zenger joins BreAnne Okoren to explore how positive leadership behaviors—like openness, respect, and accountability—spread through organizations and transform cultures. Drawing on decades of research, Jack reveals why developing leaders at scale creates psychological safety, sparks innovation, and … Continued
The post Episode 173: The Surprising Way Leadership Behaviors Go Viral at Work first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details Psychological safety is not a new term anymore, but it has matured into a foundational leadership capability, much like communication or trust no longer a “nice to have,” but a critical driver of collaboration, retention, and innovation. Drawing on Amy Edmondson’s groundbreaking research and Zenger Folkman’s data from 18,000 employees, they unpack the eight leadership behaviors that … Continued
The post Episode 172: Why Psychological Safety Matters More Than Ever first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details Dr. Susan David is a founder and co-director of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital of Harvard Medical School and an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard University. In this episode, Susan discusses her research on emotional agility and how to master challenges without getting derailed. Download the eBook of her full interview here. Guest … Continued
The post Bonus Episode– Susan David, Emotional Agility first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In today’s episode, we’re unpacking the results of a massive leadership study — over 63,000 assessments — to answer one key question: What makes certain leaders truly unforgettable? We’ll explore the 10 specific behaviors that set the most exceptional leaders apart, backed by real-world examples from sports, business, and history. Whether you work in … Continued
The post Episode 171: Memorable Leadership—10 Behaviors That Make Leaders Unforgettable first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In today’s episode of The 90th Percentile, we challenge one of the most persistent myths in modern work: that you must choose between speed and excellence. As AI accelerates productivity at lightning pace, many leaders are wondering—can humans keep up without compromising quality? Dr. Jack Zenger joins us to share groundbreaking research from over … Continued
The post Episode 170: AI, Speed, and the Future of Thoughtful Work first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In today’s episode, we’re unpacking new research from Zenger Folkman that reveals what truly separates high-performing teams from the rest. After analyzing 171 teams—many of which were struggling with negative customer feedback—we identified 10 key behaviors that predict whether a team will turn things around or stay stuck. If you’re leading teams or responsible … Continued
The post Episode 169: 10 Leadership Behaviors That Set Great Teams Apart first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we explore why wellbeing programs are more than just perks—they are a leadership imperative. Shanna Goodell shares how Druva is shifting the narrative around employee wellness, embedding it into leadership development, and addressing real-life challenges like women’s health in the workplace. From building inclusive spaces to driving … Continued
The post Episode 168: Well-Being Is a Business Strategy—Leadership Lessons from Druva first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we sit down with Rose Christensen, Senior Learning & Development Leader at Wright Service Corp., to explore what it really takes to grow leaders across dispersed, specialized, and fast-growing teams. With over 6,000 employees spread across North America and roles ranging from field-based technicians to executives, Wright … Continued
The post Episode 167: Flexible, Focused, and Future-Ready—L&D at Wright Service Corp. first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details With pressure mounting on managers to coach more often and more effectively, can AI offer real help—or does it risk making coaching feel robotic? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we talk with Mark Schaff, former Principal Learning Administrator at the Orange County Transportation Authority. Mark brings decades of coaching and leadership development … Continued
The post Episode 166: Can AI Be Your Coach? The Promise and Peril of AI in Leadership Development first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details What if the biggest barrier to performance isn’t an individual leader—but the team itself? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we speak with Paul Leboffe, longtime facilitator of Zenger Folkman’s Extraordinary Team experience. With 25+ years of business and legal expertise, Paul has helped teams uncover blind spots, strengthen trust, and dramatically improve … Continued
The post Episode 165: Stop Training Leaders Alone—The Case for Team Development first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we explore the enduring relevance of a decades-old leadership theory that feels more urgent than ever. Joe Folkman joins us to revisit Control Graph Theory—first introduced in the 1960s—and shares new research from over 200 teams showing why the total amount of influence in an organization matters … Continued
The post Episode 164: Control vs. Influence—What Today’s Leader’s Get Wrong first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details There’s a need to greatly increase the frequency and the quality of the recognition they give to their colleagues. That means recognition for people who report to them, their peers, and, yes, even their boss. The reality is that people in every direction in your organization need recognition. While the “great resignation” may have … Continued
The post Episode 89: Employee Recognition– Improving the Substance and Delivery first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast, we sit down with Bard Parnell, Senior Manager of Learning and Development at Mesa Labs, to talk about what really drives effective leadership—especially in a time of nonstop disruption. While many organizations are quick to chase the latest leadership trends, Bard shares why … Continued
The post Episode 163: Staying the Course—Why Core Leadership Skills Still Matter first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In this episode, we’re diving into resilience—a critical skill for today’s leaders—with Evelyn Swanson, Vice President of Learning and Organizational Development at Core & Main. As a leading distributor of water, sewer, storm drain, and fire protection products, Core & Main has declared this year the “Year of the Resilient Leader.” Evelyn shares valuable … Continued
The post Episode 162: Building Resilient Leaders: Lessons from Core & Main first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details When the pandemic hit, many expected a decline in leadership effectiveness due to burnout, isolation, and crisis fatigue. However, surprising research from Zenger Folkman revealed just the opposite: leaders didn’t deteriorate under pressure—they improved. In this insightful episode, Joe Folkman shares compelling data showing how the challenges of COVID-19 transformed leaders worldwide, enhancing their … Continued
The post Episode 161: Then and Now—How the Pandemic Boosted Leadership Effectiveness first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details Research shows that both giving and receiving feedback triggers stress responses similar to physical threats—but understanding these brain mechanisms can help us build better feedback cultures. Our guest today is Dr. David Rock, who coined the term “neuroleadership” and serves as Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute. This 23-year-old cognitive science consultancy has … Continued
The post Episode 160: Using Neuroscience to Make Feedback Work with David Rock first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details In this episode, we’ll explore four distinct leadership styles—the Expert, the Connector, the Driver, and the Strategist—and reveal surprising findings about which approach yields the best results. We’ll also connect Joe’s research to Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles featured in last year’s popular Harvard Business Review article, giving you practical insights on how to … Continued
The post Episode 159: Is One Leadership Style Better Than Others? first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details Building a high-performance team isn’t just about hiring the right people—it’s about leading them in the right way. In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we sit down with leadership expert Jack Zenger to uncover five key behaviors that separate exceptional teams from dysfunctional ones. Based on research from over 66,000 respondents, Jack shares … Continued
The post Episode 158: 5 Ways to Build a High-Performance Team first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
Details Trust is the foundation of any high-performing team, but in today’s fast-paced, uncertain business environment, building and maintaining trust has become more challenging than ever. Research shows that trust isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a leadership behavior that impacts everything from team collaboration to overall business performance. So, how can organizations create a culture where … Continued
The post Episode 157: Team Trust at BJ’s Wholesale Club with Scott Schmadeke first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.
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Wonderful episode, thanks for letting me find an appropriate approach to deal with 360 assessments.
Wonderful episode, thanks for letting me find an appropriate approach to deal with 360 assessments.
Hey there... this is a wonderful podcast, not only very informative and helpful, but also quite squeezed to avoid any chit chat and side talks.... it's very helpful and many thanks for sharing... Vafa