How Leaders Lead with David Novak

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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.
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Sažetak epizode

Good news for anyone who doesn’t have all the answers: you don’t need them. You just need the right people in the room—and the humility to hire them. Kyle Leahy has used this leadership philosophy to build strong brands and teams at Glossier, Nike, and now, at WHOOP as the Chief Commercial Officer. She calls it outhiring yourself: bringing in the right mix of specialists who know more than you, then unlocking that expertise around a big, strategic vision. Is it unnerving? Yes. Does it work? Also yes. And this episode will show you how to do it. This episode is for you if: You’ve ever struggled with imposter syndrome You’re trying to build a special brand You’re starting a new role and want to make the right first moves You want to build a culture that’s big on both kindness and accountability Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead…

Epizode

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#314: Kyle Leahy, Chief Commercial Officer, WHOOP – Outhire yourself

Good news for anyone who doesn’t have all the answers: you don’t need them. You just need the right people in the room—and the humility to hire them. Kyle Leahy has used this leadership philosophy to build strong brands and teams at Glossier, Nike, and now, at WHOOP as the Chief Commercial Officer. She calls it outhiring yourself: bringing in the right mix of specialists who know more than you, then unlocking that expertise around a big, strategic vision. Is it unnerving? Yes. Does it work? Also yes. And this episode will show you how to do it. This episode is for you if: You’ve ever struggled with imposter syndrome You’re trying to build a special brand You’re starting a new role and want to make the right first moves You want to build a culture that’s big on both kindness and accountability Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead…

22 lis 2026
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#313: Joe Preston, President & CEO, New Balance – Focus on what you can control

How did New Balance go from a modest “dad shoe” brand to a $10 billion global company? You might assume they just copied the playbook of their big-name competitors. But New Balance President & CEO Joe Preston knows better. In this conversation, he opens up about their unconventional path to success, including how they’ve worked hard to control their own destiny instead of just reacting to what the big guys are doing. If you want to scale smartly, you’ve got to learn where you can actually move the needle, then have the discipline to focus on those things instead of everything else. This episode is for you if: You work in retail and want to see what’s working You’re in a season of rapid growth but want to protect your culture You need to make quick progress without burning out your team You want to know what makes sponsorships and partnerships work Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:…

15 lis 2026
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#312: Ben Cowan-Dewar, Cofounder & CEO, Cabot – Be an idea collector

How does a 24-year-old with no construction experience turn a remediated coal mine in rural Nova Scotia into one of the world’s top golf destinations? That’s the story of Ben Cowan-Dewar, Cofounder and CEO of Cabot. Twenty years later, he’s built one of the most respected golf brands in the world, with five courses featured in Golf Digest’s World Top 100. And he did it by becoming an “idea collector” – obsessively studying great courses and learning from key mentors, then turning that expertise into something that stirs people’s souls. This conversation is packed with leadership lessons and golf lore aplenty, and it’ll help you be the kind of leader who inspires others through grit, expertise, and a genuine love of excellence. This episode is for you if: You’re an entrepreneur – or want to become one someday You’re building your career and want to find people to mentor you You have high standards but also want to build a kind culture You need inspiration for your next golf trip (and honestly, who doesn’t)…

08 lis 2026
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#311: Mark Pincus, Founder & Former CEO, Zynga – Trust your instincts, but vet your ideas

Back in 2007, Mark Pincus had a gut feeling that adults would play games on their phones if they were just woven into their daily lives. On that instinct, he founded Zynga and built the biggest games of the early social internet — including FarmVille, Words With Friends, and Zynga Poker. Four years later, they had over a billion users. Safe to say, Mark’s instincts were right. But according to Mark, that’s where a lot of leaders lose the plot. They have the right instincts but then put the wrong ideas around those instincts. They try to change too much. They don’t iterate quickly. Or worst of all, their culture doesn’t let people be intellectually honest about what’s not working. In this conversation, you’ll see how to avoid those mistakes with Mark’s “Proven-Better-New” framework for designing products. Plus, he opens up about his (very public) fall from Silicon Valley’s graces and the surprising freedom that came with it. It’s a must-listen conversation for anyone who’s building something – whether that’s…

01 lis 2026
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#310: Demond Martin, Cofounder and CEO, WellWithAll – Recognize how others shape you

A lot of leaders brag that they’re “self made.” Demond Martin says he’s “community built.” He recognizes all the people who helped him move out of a violent environment as a preteen and go on to work at the White House, graduate from Harvard Business School, and become a successful hedge fund manager. Now, as the Cofounder and CEO of the wellness brand WellWithAll, he’s trying to do the same for others – putting a portion of profits toward ending health inequity. In this conversation, you’ll get an inspiring look at Demond’s philosophy of being a “friend of the good” – someone who sees the humanity in other people and builds relationships on respect, not transactions. When you learn how to surround yourself with those people (while striving to be one yourself!), you’ll find a whole new level of meaning and purpose in leadership. This episode is for you if: You’re wondering if you can scale a business while keeping people at the center You want to either find a mentor – or become one You want to develop more…

24 ruj 2026