Let Go & Lead With Maril Macdonald

Jeff Jones, CEO of H&R Block, is leading the company through a massive cultural transformation. He’s redefining leadership expectations in surprising and inspiring ways, setting a tone and activating a culture. Drawing on his experiences at Target, Uber and Coca-Cola, Jeff is taking his team on a journey unlike any before.

Daniel Pink, New York Times bestselling author, joins Maril as she kicks off Let Go & Lead’s second season. They discuss the research behind Dan’s latest book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, which examines the psychology, biology and economics of timing. Dan shares his top timing tips for leaders, what business leaders can learn from choral singers and more.

We’re thrilled to share that the second season of Let Go & Lead will premiere on October 1. Each Tuesday, look for new interviews with featured guests, including New York Times Best Selling Author Daniel Pink, H&R Block CEO Jeff Jones and PayPal SVP and Facebook Director Peggy Alford. Thanks for listening and for being a part of the Let Go & Lead community!

People analytics expert Michael Walsh helps organizations improve employee retention, rethink succession planning and elevate talent through data. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Michael and Maril discuss what a strong people analytics team looks like, why it’s critical not to broad-brush demographic assumptions and how people analytics can strengthen diversity and inclusion efforts.

Kristy Wallace, CEO of the Ellevate Network, is passionate about partnering with businesses to create true cultures of inclusion. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Kristy shares how leaders can take a big step toward creating a culture where all types of people can succeed by making a few simple behavior changes.

Darcy Winslow, President & Founder of the Academy for Systems Change, found her calling after leading five large-scale change efforts at Nike. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Darcy and Maril talk all things systems thinking and leadership, including the importance of embracing a creative orientation, navigating the complex vs. complicated and that leaders are not defined by jobs or companies, but shaped by their purpose and work.

John Renehan, Pratt & Whitney Executive Director of Digital Solutions, is a practitioner of leadership. In actively establishing spaces for open dialogue, listening to others and elevating the experts in the room, John creates a culture of shared power in the workplace. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, John and Maril discuss his guiding leadership practices, the importance of embracing humanity in the midst of change and how simple gestures can result in powerful outcomes.

Glenda Eoyang, Founding Executive Director of the Human Systems Dynamics Institute, helps leaders build up their capacity for chaos. In using models and methods to understand patterns of chaos, Glenda shares how organizations can best navigate forward using practical, predictable structures.

Dorri McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, shares her journey of evolving the 140-year old social service agency into a 21st century social enterprise. In the third episode of Let Go & Lead, Dorri reveals how she led her team through this transformation, growing the $10 million organization, which was losing $1 million a year, into the vibrant, robust, $23 million enterprise it is today.

Kathryn Petralia, President & co-founder of Kabbage, shares her story of creating a compassionate culture that defies hierarchy, embraces individuality and celebrates humanity. In the second episode of Let Go & Lead, Kathryn reflects on her leadership journey, explores how culture and values manifest and reveals how employers can screen for self-awareness.

Aaron Hurst, expert on the science of purpose at work, joins Maril for the launch episode of Let Go & Lead. Aaron’s the CEO and co-founder of Imperative, a technology platform for leaders in the new economy. Maril and Aaron talk all things purpose, meaning and fulfillment. Aaron shares his story, debunks the most common myths of purpose and reveals his groundswell movement towards a world full of workplaces with fulfilled employees.