Connected Leadership with Peter Boyd

Entrepreneur and impact leader Kola Masha traces an extraordinary journey from music and television to engineering, global business, and building one of Africa’s most ambitious social enterprises. As co-founder of Babban Gona, Kola shares how he applies disciplined leadership, patient scale, and human-centered systems thinking to enable millions of smallholder farmers to double their income. With a mission to create the world’s highest-impact business, Kola unpacks how depth of impact and scale must work together to drive real change. He discusses empowering smallholder farmers, building businesses that serve entire ecosystems, and leading with discipline, patience, and long-term vision. From redefining leadership development to designing systems that unlock food security, education, healthcare, and mobility, this episode offers a masterclass in purpose-driven entrepreneurship and leading transformation at scale. Content Note: This episode includes discussion of maternal mortality and maternal health challenges, which some listeners may find sensitive.

Media trailblazer, producer, and author Pat Mitchell reflects on a lifetime of groundbreaking leadership driven by courage, clarity, and purpose. From becoming the first woman to lead multiple major media organizations to the social justice movements that activated her voice, Pat recounts the defining forks in her life map and that shaped her “forward-moving” mindset. Exploring the dynamics of female leadership, she shares her philosophy of “dangerous leadership,” grounded in speaking up, standing up, and showing up in times that demand more than ordinary action. Pat also delves into championing women leaders, building inclusive teams, and widening the path for those who follow. This episode offers inspiration for leading with impact and embracing the power with—not power over—as a catalyst for change.

Innovation strategist and entrepreneur John Duffield shares an extraordinary journey through two open-heart surgeries—an experience that reshaped his understanding of purpose, leadership, and the future of patient care. Merging his technical expertise with personal experience in the healthcare system, John works to redefine the patient journey and how technology can support patients during their most critical moments. He tells stories of his own; using AI to translate complex diagnoses into metaphors his children could understand and developing models to ease the fear and uncertainty leading up to surgery. This episode dives into resilience the unexpected ways purpose reveals itself — in critical moments when a sudden health crisis becomes a catalyst for personal transformation.

Franziska Weiss is a Munich-based business coach who hit reset at age 40 after a long career in corporate public relations. In this episode, she shares how stepping away from the automotive industry led her to rediscover her purpose, and build a more connected, intentional approach to leadership. Franziska reflects on how the Connected Leadership course shaped her coaching practice, how she helps teams align across generations, and why meaningful system change starts with knowing yourself. From energy management to team values to shifting workplace paradigms, she brings both structure and spark to leadership development.

In this inspiring episode of the Connected Leadership podcast, Peter Boyd sits down with Brian Petula a lawyer, entrepreneur, EMT, and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections officer, who shares his powerful journey from rural roots to a purpose-driven life of service. A former student of the Connected Leadership course, Brian reflects on how the course shaped his leadership style, the importance of living with purpose, and his frontline experience transforming lives in corrections. This conversation is a deep dive into authentic leadership, system change, and human potential.

Laura Sievert Hesseltine is the Executive Director of Arts Quincy, the oldest arts council in the U.S., where she champions community engagement and cultural transformation. With a background in corporate marketing and a passion for creativity, Laura shares her journey from leading large-scale retail marketing campaigns to revitalizing the arts sector in rural Illinois. She discusses the power of the arts in shaping communities, the importance of making culture accessible to all, and how she applies business principles to nonprofit leadership. Laura also reflects on connected leadership, continuous learning, and how small, intentional steps can drive meaningful change.

Jigar Shah, a trailblazer in clean energy finance, shares his insights on scaling sustainable technology and aligning capital with long-term impact. Drawing from his experience as the founder of SunEdison and leader of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, Jigar discusses the challenges of commercializing clean energy solutions and the role of strategic leadership in accelerating the transition. He emphasizes the importance of financial innovation, building high-performing teams, and navigating industry shifts to drive lasting change. This episode offers valuable lessons on financing the clean energy future and leading with purpose.

Jens Molbak, founder of Coinstar, WinWin, and NewImpact, shares his vision for leveraging tri-sector innovation aligning resources from businesses, nonprofits, and government to create systemic change. He discusses how his experience building Coinstar shaped his understanding of scalable impact and how NewImpact is pioneering a data-driven approach to solve complex societal challenges. Jens highlights the importance of collaboration across sectors, identifying underutilized assets, and shifting mindsets to unlock greater efficiency and innovation. This episode offers valuable insights on designing solutions that maximize shared value and create lasting social and economic benefits.

Tarek Mouganie is the founder of Affinity, a digital bank revolutionizing financial inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa. With a background in engineering, physics, and finance, Tarek’s journey has been shaped by his desire to build platforms that unlock human potential. In this episode, he shares how his experiences from growing up in Ghana to his academic path at Cambridge and Imperial College led him to create a banking solution for underserved populations. Tarek discusses the challenges of launching a bank, the impact of financial access on small businesses, and his personal evolution as a leader. He also reflects on his time as a Yale World Fellow, where he explored how to scale his mission while maintaining personal balance.

In this episode, Peter Boyd explores how the Connected Leadership Framework helps individuals maximize their impact within teams. Building on previous discussions of personal purpose and priorities, Peter delves into team dynamics how to bring a purpose-driven approach to work, establish clear priorities, and create a shared vision for success. He introduces key tools, including the strategy pyramid, to align team values, mission, and progress. The episode also covers leadership skills such as active listening, constructive feedback, and stakeholder mapping to enhance influence and drive organizational change. Whether leading formally or informally, listeners will gain insights on fostering collaboration, navigating challenges, and creating lasting impact. • Guy Kawasaki’s “Art of the Start”: Cited for his idea that an organization’s purpose is more powerful as a short mantra rather than a long paragraph. https://www.amazon.com/Art-Start-2-0-Time-Tested-Battle-Hardened/dp/1591847842 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-art-of-the-start-20-guy-kawasaki/1120058655 • TED’s Through Line Concept (Chris Anderson): The TED founder’s requirement that TED talks have a clear, concise through-line of 15 words or less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FOCpMAww28 • Peter Diamandis’s MTP (Massively Transformative Purpose): Cited as a helpful frame for thinking about organizational and personal vision and mission. • Brené Brown’s “Atlas of the Heart”: Referenced when discussing the artistry of a map and the interaction between different layers of leadership. • Harvard Business Review Article by Togle and Barso (2016): Cited in the context of team conflict, particularly differentiating between good and bad conflict, and the importance of shared values in team dynamics. • Character.org’s VIA (Values in Action) Survey: Recommended as a personality assessment tool with strong academic underpinnings to help individuals identify their personal values. • Quinn and Thacker’s Harvard Business Review Article: Cited as a source for creating a purpose-driven organization. • Bailey’s Medium Article on “How Great Founders Present Their Vision”: Referenced in the context of how founders can clearly communicate their vision and mission. • Comedian Michael Jr.’s Video: Recommended for its insight into how knowing “why” behind a task can change how it is performed. Viewers are advised to watch from 1:25 for a sub-two-minute clip. • “Connect” by David Bradford and Carl Robbins: Described as a helpful resource on interpersonal dynamics, suggesting that feedback can be given to anyone at any time if done correctly. • Center for Creative Leadership’s SBI Model: This framework (Situation, Behavior, Impact) is recommended as a method for giving and receiving feedback. • The Johari Window by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham (1955): Referenced as a conceptual framework to explore self-awareness, personal development, and interpersonal relationships. • Ladder of Inference by Chris Argyris: Mentioned as a framework for understanding how people draw conclusions based on limited observable data. • Max Landsberg’s Tower of Leadership (1970s/1990s): Used as a conceptual tool to plot team members based on skill and will, identifying how to manage different team members accordingly. • Dale Carnegie’s Concepts on Leadership (1920s): Referenced regarding how giving high-influence supporters tasks can increase their investment in an agenda or cause.

Yale professor, cognitive scientist and host of The Happiness Lab podcast – Dr Laurie Santos has created & taught Yale’s most popular course in history, The Science of Well-Being. Her Coursera version of the course by the same name, has attracted more than 4 million learners from around the world. In this episode, we discuss her own approach to the Purpose that drives her, her Priorities and goals; and how she is working to change the system.

Rafe Offer is an entrepreneur and co-founder of global music start-up Sofar Sounds and his latest venture meeting better meetings – This and That. He has led international teams and innovation at some of the world’s best known brands – as a Global Marketing Director of Coca-Cola, Director of Global Marketing at The Walt Disney Company and a Director of Innovation for global drinks giant Diageo. In this episode, we discuss his journey from corporate executive to entrepreneur.

Michel Gelobter is the Executive Director of the Yale Center for Environmental Justice. He is a lifelong environmental advocate, policy analyst, and entrepreneur. In this episode, we discuss his journey as a change-maker, champion for climate justice and how to make positive change.

In this episode, we’ll begin our connected leadership journey at the level of Self – you as a purpose-driven, connected leader. We will discuss how. to clarify and distill what really matters to you, create daily to-dos deeply connected to your purpose, and draw on a suite of tools to maximize your impact and use of time.

Amy Gallo is a workplace expert who frequently writes and speaks about effective communication, interpersonal dynamics, gender, difficult conversations, and feedback. She is the best-selling author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict, as well as hundreds of articles for Harvard Business Review. In this episode, Amy speaks about critical skills for approaching disagreement and generally getting along better with others; and how she is changing the world as a change-maker and system-changer.

Janah Ncube is Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Crisis Action, a global organization working on the protection of civilians in conflict. Janah champions issues of women’s rights for those in conflict. She speaks about saving lives, persevering through adversity, and how authenticity has fueled her success in Zimbabwe and the continent of Africa.

Sophie Beckham is the Chief Sustainability Officer at International Paper where she leads the company’s vision for sustainability and corporate responsibility. She speaks about how to get things done within a company that is in a hard-to-abate sector of the economy, the role of a corporate chameleon, and how sometimes you simply have to pick the harder options in life to succeed.

In this first episode, we will cover the Connected Leadership Framework and how to navigate the approach in a way that aligns with your unique leadership journey. Connected leadership is organized into four parts, or indeed, 4 Ps: Purpose, Priorities, Potential and Progress. In this episode we will begin to describe how to use this logic flow for yourself, your team, and the system you are trying to change, to be an impactful and connected leader.

Nassu Fofanah is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Susue Consulting and Susue Women’s Finance, in addition to being a Yale World Fellow at the Jackson School of Public Affairs. In this episode, Naasu speaks about her vision for Sierra Leone, and how it should be difficult to do difficult things.

Ben Christensen is the founder and CEO of Cambium Carbon, one of Peter’s former students. They talk about Ben’s path from a small town in New Mexico to starting a business that stops wood being wasted in cities and beyond. Ben also speaks about his “rocks”, purpose, and the experience of running very long distances.