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How Leaders Lead with David Novak: Daily Summaries Delivered
by 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.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 1 weeks ago1h 12m
#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 App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
- 2 weeks ago1h 3m
#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: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
- 3 weeks ago1h 15m
#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) Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
- Oct 1, 20261h 9m
#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 a company, a product, or a team. This episode is for you if: You want to develop products people love You want to have more fun at work (or hey, just in general) You’re trying to build a culture that’s intellectually honest You’re navigating a low point in your career or company Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
- Sep 24, 202656 min
#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 ways to give back through your business You could use a big jolt of inspiration Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
- Sep 17, 20261h 7m
#309: Ben Zobrist, 2x World Series Champion – Prepare for pressure
Game 7 of the 2016 World Series had gone to extra innings. The Cubs were trying to break a 108-year championship drought that some called a curse. If you’re a baseball fan, you already know what happened next: With two runners on base, Ben Zobrist stepped up to the plate. Despite being 0-4 in the game so far, he pinged a double to left field that brought in the winning run and made him a Chicago legend. So yeah, Ben Zobrist knows about pressure. And you do, too: pressure is a part of every leader’s reality. How you understand it, prepare for it, and handle it in the moment can make or break your career – not to mention your overall sense of well-being. This conversation is a candid look at how to navigate all the pressure you face – from success, from failure, from life in general – plus the habits and routines that keep you ready and regulated when you’re feeling it. This episode is for you if: You struggle to deal with pressure, especially after a big success You’re trying to find better self-care habits and routines You want to get better at understanding and managing your emotions You’re a coach or parent of a child athlete You just love all things baseball Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
- Sep 10, 202651 min
#308: Zac Taylor, Head Coach, Cincinnati Bengals – Consistency creates results
Imagine being Zac Taylor in 2019. He was 0-11 in his first season as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. He knew they were doing a lot of things right, but the results just weren’t coming. Eventually, they did: just over two years later, Zac led his team to the Super Bowl. But for a while, there was a big, painful gap. And you may be in a similar place right now – where you believe you’re on the right track, but the results aren’t showing up yet. In this conversation, you’ll see what great leadership looks like in those seasons when you’re building, grinding, and learning – but not necessarily seeing results. It’s a powerful reminder of the power of consistency … and a fun way to get ready for another exciting year of NFL football! This episode is for you if: You’re in a season where progress feels invisible You need solid advice on managing elite talent You’re trying to connect more meaningfully with your team You want to know what weirdly simple habit Zac attributes his success toTake your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
- Sep 3, 20261h 15m
#307: Clark Lea, Head Football Coach, Vanderbilt – Belief is a practice
We’ve all got big goals and dreams, both for ourselves and our people. But often, there’s a gap between what we say we want and what we’re actually willing to do to get it. Vanderbilt head football coach Clark Lea is obsessed with closing that gap. For him, the ultimate measure of your beliefs isn’t how you feel or what you say. It’s the actions you take. And that alignment is at the heart of the incredible turnaround he’s leading. Under his leadership, Vanderbilt’s football program has gone from being the punching bags of the SEC to one of the NCAA’s most exciting teams, notching their first 10-win season in 2025. This conversation gives you an inside look at what’s driving their success … and an inspiring reminder that your true beliefs show up in what you practice, not what you preach. This episode is for you if: You feel disconnected from your goals or your core values You want to disrupt a culture that’s gotten used to losing You’re feeling discouraged after a setback You just love all things college football Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
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About 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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