Podcast · 78 episodes
How Leaders Lead with David Novak, page 3
by David Novak · English
How Leaders Lead gives you a front-row seat to exclusive conversations with the world’s most iconic leaders across business, sports, and entertainment. Hosted by David Novak, Co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, this podcast pulls back the curtain on how top CEOs, founders, and game-changers make things happen. When you tune in, you’ll learn from legends like Tom Brady, Condoleezza Rice, Jamie Dimon, Coach Prime (Deion Sanders), Indra Nooyi, Stanley Druckenmiller, and more. Other guests include: CEO of Starbucks CEO of Target Co-founder of Home Depot and many others... David’s unique perspective and thought-provoking questions distill the wisdom of these leaders into actionable insights you can use to elevate your own leadership game. Whether you’re just starting your leadership journey or already leading teams, this show helps you build the confidence you need to lead well.
All episodes, page 3
#262: Lew Frankfort, Chairman Emeritus and former CEO of Coach – Combine magic and logicLew Frankfort (Coach Chairman Emeritus/former CEO) explains his “magic plus logic” leadership philosophy—combining bold imagination with rigorous data and consumer insight—to build Coach into a…23 Oct 2025 · 1 h 1 min · 37 chapters
#261: Nathan Smith, Walker Cup Captain – Know what your people need to excelNathan Smith discusses captaining the U.S. Walker Cup team, the event’s format and selection process, and how he built culture, managed pressure, and coached exceptional amateur talent at Cypress…16 Oct 2025 · 1 h · 25 chapters
#260: Nick Green, Cofounder and CEO of Thrive Market – The business model mattersNick Green (Thrive Market cofounder/CEO) explains how Thrive’s “business model matters” approach—especially membership—enables affordable access to high-quality healthy food, and how he leads using…9 Oct 2025 · 1 h 10 min · 35 chapters
#259: Sarah Gibson Tuttle, Founder and CEO of Olive & June – Work on yourselfSarah Gibson Tuttle’s journey from finance equity trading to founding Olive & June, and how she leads with self-awareness, customer service, and community.2 Oct 2025 · 55 min · 27 chapters
3 More Questions (Paul Brown) with David Novak and Koula CallahanThree “more questions” debrief Paul Brown’s leadership lessons for Inspire Brands (Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Jimmy John’s, Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin).29 Sep 2025 · 13 min · 5 chapters
#258: Paul Brown, Cofounder and CEO of Inspire Brands – Sell what you sellPaul Brown (Inspire Brands CEO) explains how to “sell what you sell” and how he turned Arby’s around, then built Inspire Brands by combining differentiated QSR brands under shared technology and…25 Sep 2025 · 53 min · 30 chapters
3 More Questions (Klaus Kleinfeld) with David Novak and Koula CallahanDebrief of Klaus Kleinfeld’s leadership lessons, focusing on (1) measuring and driving motivation via “noble cause” and stories, (2) sustaining high performance by managing physical, mental,…22 Sep 2025 · 11 min · 4 chapters
#257: Klaus Kleinfeld, Former CEO of Siemens and Alcoa – Purpose channels your energyPurpose-driven energy management for leaders—how to focus motivation, avoid burnout, and build high-performance teams.18 Sep 2025 · 1 h 1 min · 26 chapters
3 More Questions (Hayden Brown) with David Novak and Koula CallahanLeadership lessons from Hayden Brown, CEO of Upwork, focused on (1) building toward a bigger customer-driven vision, (2) structuring teams with a small core of full-time staff plus a larger freelance…15 Sep 2025 · 9 min · 4 chapters
#256: Hayden Brown, CEO of Upwork – Create clarity for your teamHayden Brown (CEO of Upwork) explains how leaders create clarity, lead remote/hybrid teams, and pivot Upwork toward AI—arguing that “effort” problems are often “clarity” problems.11 Sep 2025 · 57 min · 22 chapters
3 More Questions (Clark Hunt) with David Novak and Koula CallahanHow Kansas City Chiefs chairman/CEO Clark Hunt sustains “dynasty-like” performance amid constant NFL roster turnover, using culture, vision, execution, and humility.8 Sep 2025 · 14 min · 5 chapters
#255: Clark Hunt, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs – Be quick to give others creditHow Clark Hunt explains Kansas City Chiefs’ sustained “dynasty” success through five drivers: culture where everyone counts, maniacal focus on fans, competitive differentiation, disciplined…4 Sep 2025 · 57 min · 24 chapters
3 More Questions (Tom Hale) with David Novak and Koula CallahanDebrief of David Novak’s conversation with Tom Hale (CEO of Aura) on leadership habits, aligning mission with profitability, and customer retention for Aura’s health-wearable subscription (Aura…1 Sep 2025 · 12 min · 7 chapters
#254: Tom Hale, CEO of Oura – Be a balancing forceLeadership “balance” at Oura—how Tom Hale frames leadership as calibrating between competing forces (vision/execution, innovation/trust, supporting/challenging) and using Oura’s health wearables to…28 Aug 2025 · 1 h 2 min · 26 chapters
3 More Questions (Roger Crandall) with David Novak and Koula CallahanLeadership lessons from MassMutual CEO Roger Crandall, debriefed by David Novak and hosted by Koula Callahan.25 Aug 2025 · 10 min · 3 chapters
#253: Roger Crandall, Chairman, President and CEO of MassMutual – Make the numbers mean somethingHow MassMutual CEO Roger Crandall turns complex financial “numbers” into meaning through storytelling, long-term stewardship, and leadership that flattens bureaucracy and engages people across…21 Aug 2025 · 54 min · 28 chapters
3 More Questions (David Levy) with David Novak and Koula CallahanDebrief of David Levy’s interview on leadership, focusing on (1) being replaceable via hiring stronger successors, (2) influencing beyond direct reports through an enterprise mindset, and (3)…18 Aug 2025 · 13 min · 5 chapters
#252: David Levy, Co-CEO of Horizon Sports + Experiences – True vision takes gutsDavid Levy (co-CEO of Horizon Sports + Experiences) discusses sports/media leadership, building a sports marketing agency from scratch, and betting on innovative live formats and women’s sports.14 Aug 2025 · 54 min · 22 chapters
3 More Questions (Peter Cuneo) with David Novak and Koula CallahanLeadership lessons from Peter Cuneo, former CEO and Vice Chairman of Marvel Entertainment, focused on turning around unfamiliar businesses, fostering creativity, and navigating “alien environments.”…11 Aug 2025 · 12 min · 4 chapters
#251: Peter Cuneo, Former CEO and Vice Chairman of Marvel Entertainment – Embrace the unfamiliarPeter Cuneo explains how he led Marvel’s turnaround after bankruptcy by embracing the unfamiliar, changing “the rules of the game,” and driving a risk-taking culture through leadership actions (not…7 Aug 2025 · 34 min · 18 chapters
3 More Questions (Dr. Michael Gervais) with David Novak and Koula CallahanDebrief of “Three More Questions” with Dr. Michael Gervais on leadership psychology, mental skills training, confidence, optimism, and learning mindsets.4 Aug 2025 · 11 min · 4 chapters
#250: Dr. Michael Gervais, Renowned high-performance psychologist and founder of Finding Mastery – Train your mindDr. Michael Gervais explains how confidence, resilience, and “mastery” are trainable mental skills.31 Jul 2025 · 1 h 1 min · 23 chapters
3 More Questions (Zak Brown) with David Novak and Koula CallahanDebrief of David Novak’s interview with Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, using “Three More Questions” to extract leadership lessons from Formula 1.28 Jul 2025 · 9 min · 3 chapters
#249: Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing – Performance is everyone’s jobZak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, explains how McLaren drives performance by making every department’s work connect to race outcomes, using a “performance mindset,” transparent culture, long-term…24 Jul 2025 · 56 min · 24 chapters