If leadership were easy, everyone would do it—but here’s how the best make it look effortless. In this special episode of Future Ready Leadership, three visionary leaders share powerful, actionable strategies to help you activate teams, build unshakable trust, and transform workplace culture. Rachel Cooke, former Director of HR at American Express, host of the Modern Mentor podcast, and founder of Lead Above Noise, unpacks her four-pillar framework for driving team success through connection, development, and well-being. Chris Nicholas, CEO of Sam’s Club, shares his Trust Equation, showing why authenticity and transparency are the foundation of impactful leadership. Lastly, we have Melanie Dulbecco, CEO of R. Torre & Co., Inc., who reveals how a people-first culture can become your ultimate competitive advantage, with insights on purpose-driven operations and profit-sharing. Get ready to lead with purpose and shape the future of work. They say leaders are born, not made—but this episode proves the opposite with strategies you can’t afford to miss.

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What shapes the employee experience? In this episode of Leadership Spark, we explore the three pillars that define it: physical space, technology, and culture. Physical environments contribute 30% of employee satisfaction, with top companies creating flexible, activity-based spaces. Technology, also 30%, acts as the central nervous system but becomes a human problem when it fails. Culture, the most impactful at 40%, determines how employees feel and connect to purpose. Through compelling stories and research, we unpack how leaders can design workplaces that inspire, support, and engage.

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The workplace is evolving faster than ever, leaving leaders scrambling to keep up with new demands. How can you ensure your leadership skills remain relevant and impactful in 2025? In this episode of Future Ready Leadership, we have experts who will share the tools you need to thrive and stand out as a leader. Tom Henschel, host of The Look and Sound of Leadership, shares the secrets to executive presence—commanding attention and respect in any room. Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of The Power of Habit, teaches us how to master conversations to deepen workplace connections and amplify your impact. Together, they reveal how to lead with authority, connect authentically, and shape your future with confidence. The future is fast approaching—get ready to lead it.

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One CEO was fired for being vulnerable. Another saved their company. What made the difference? In today’s Leadership Spark, we go beyond the theory of leading with vulnerability to explore how it works in real life. Vulnerability isn’t just admitting mistakes—it’s about showing how you’re taking action to close gaps and grow. Through powerful examples, including the contrasting stories of two CEOs who led with vulnerability, you’ll see how balancing openness with leadership drives results. We’ll also unpack common workplace scenarios and share actionable tips for first-time leaders to use vulnerability as a superpower. Learn how to inspire trust while staying accountable in this episode.

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Start your day with the world’s top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/

What skills, trends, and strategic thinking do leaders need to embrace for the future? In this episode, we explore three compelling perspectives to help leaders prepare for 2025. Michael Watkins breaks down The 6 Disciplines of Strategic Thinking he authored, showing how leaders can mobilize their teams and make smarter, more impactful decisions. Seth Godin, renowned Author, Entrepreneur, and Founder of the Carbon Almanac, challenges the status quo with his take on why adaptability beats rigid planning and why leaders need to think beyond checklists to thrive. Finally, Nicholas Bloom, William D. Eberle Professor of Economics at Stanford University, reveals surprising data on remote work, from its effects on productivity to what it really takes to retain top talent in a hybrid world.

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What does it really mean to lead with vulnerability? In today’s Leadership Spark, we dive into the delicate balance between openness and competence in leadership. Vulnerability is essential for building trust and fostering connections, but simply admitting mistakes isn’t enough, especially in the workplace. Leaders need to pair vulnerability with action. We’ll explore why this concept is more critical than ever in today’s fast-changing environment and how it can help leaders inspire confidence while maintaining accountability. You’ll learn how to embrace this powerful equation: Vulnerability + Leadership = Real Impact.

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The pace of change is relentless, and leaders everywhere are grappling with the same challenge: how do we prepare our teams for a future we can’t predict? In this episode of Future Ready Leadership, Google’s first Chief Innovation Evangelist, Frederik Pferdt, offers a solution—shifting your mindset to embrace curiosity, radical optimism, and human-centered leadership. Drawing from his groundbreaking work at Google and insights from his book "What’s Next is Now", Frederik reveals the secrets to transforming uncertainty into possibility. We dive into why innovation dies on idea boards, how replacing “but” with “and” can change everything, and the six dimensions of a future-ready mindset. Frederik also gets personal, sharing stories about handling California wildfires, transforming challenges into opportunities, and how experimenting like a gardener can help your ideas grow.

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Can leaders keep up when change never slows down? In today’s Leadership Spark, we explore how the accelerating pace of change is reshaping workplaces, work ethics, and the delicate balance between employee empowerment and accountability. From the rise of disengaged work cultures to the struggle for accountability, this episode dives into the realities of modern leadership and what it takes to adapt, thrive, and rebuild the balance.

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Start your day with the world’s top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/