Why Lead?
"Everything rises and falls on leadership," - John Maxwell
My name is Ben Owden and I have weekly conversations with leaders. I hope that these conversations will help you find the clarity and conviction to lead a more meaningful and impactful life. I’ve curated some of the best thinker practitioners from all over the world to help you get to your leadership nirvana.
Episodes
79 episodes
0078 - To Be Innovative Less is Always More: How Constraints Ignite Creativity ft Dr. Simone Ahuja
Ben Owden in a conversation with Dr. Simone Ahuja, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and CEO of Blood Orange, a global innovation strategy firm. Simone talks about Jugaad innovation, a frugal and flexible approach to pr...
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Season 3
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Episode 78
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55:42
0077 - Losing $400M, Bouncing Back, Owning Failures and Embracing Being an Outsider ft Stacy Spikes
Ben Owden engages in a conversation with Stacy Spikes, the visionary co-founder of MoviePass and author of "Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider." Stacy's journey is a masterclass in turning failures into stepping stones ...
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Season 3
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Episode 77
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1:34:48
0076 - Is Your Inner Critic Holding You Back? Transform Judgment to Make it Your Greatest Ally ft Janet M Harvey
Join host Ben Owden as he engages in a transformative conversation with Janet M. Harvey, a globally recognized leader in the coaching industry and author of "From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change." Discove...
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Season 3
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Episode 76
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1:26:16
0075 - Leading Through Crises from WHO's Chief Scientist During COVID-19 & Overcoming Biases to Revolutionise Healthcare ft Dr Soumya Swaminathan & Dr. Muthoni Ntonjira
Host Ben Owden engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, a renowned pediatric leader and former WHO Chief Scientist. They explore the interconnected relationship between health and climate change and the role of t...
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Season 3
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Episode 75
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1:06:20
0074 - How Women Are Secretly Running Africa & Breaking Norms in Leadership ft Dr. Samukeliso Dube & Abosede George-Ogan
Ben Owden talks with Dr. Samu Dube, the Executive Director of FP2030. Dr. Dube shares her insights on the intrinsic potential within everyone to be extraordinary, highlighting the importance of intentionality and continuous improv...
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Season 3
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Episode 74
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51:25
0073 - How to Sacrifice Our Privilege for a More Equitable World and Collaborate to Fuel Global Change ft Dr. Michael Charles & Dr. Githinji Gitahi
Host Ben Owden engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Michael Charles and Dr. Githinji Gitahi. They discuss the importance of social justice and equality as fundamental human rights. Dr. Gitahi highlights the need for awareness of...
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Season 3
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Episode 73
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50:19
0072 - Transforming a Crisis to a Change Opportunity & Building Trust in Leadership ft Amie Batson & Dr Yasmin Ali Haque
Ben Owden sits down with Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, who has a rich background in UNICEF and humanitarian response, and Amie Batson, President of Women Lift Health, to explore the evolving nature of leadership and share insights on the universal aspe...
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Season 3
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Episode 72
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1:00:30
0071 - Confronting Fears That Silence Women, Speaking Up & Standing Out ft Lizz Ntonjira & Rachel Ombaka
Ben Owden explores the challenges women face in gaining visibility and leadership roles with guests Rachel Ombaka and Liz Ntonjira of WomenLift Health. The discussion transitions to overcoming these barriers through continuous learning, authent...
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Season 3
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Episode 71
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51:10
0070 - Master Any Skill: The Ultimate Guide to Learning How to Learn ft Barbara Oakley
Dive into a journey of transformation with Barbara Oakley, from struggling with basic math to becoming a renowned engineering professor, and discover the secrets to mastering any skill. This episode isn't just a story; it's a blueprint for turn...
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Season 3
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Episode 70
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1:08:00
0069 - How to Use Simple Conversations to Get Others to Change ft Haesun Moon
Join host Ben Owden on a transformative journey through the art of conversation with communication scientist, educator, and author Haesun Moon. In this heartfelt episode, we delve into the healing power of dialogue and discover how intentional ...
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Season 3
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Episode 69
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56:32
0068 - Thrive at Work and in Life While Anxious ft Morra Aarons Melle
Morra, with her rich background in leadership and mental health advocacy, shares groundbreaking insights into how we can reframe our relationship with anxiety. From the gripping tales of leaders who've harnessed their inner turmoil to achieve g...
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Season 3
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Episode 68
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42:50
0067 - Winning The Stress War, Embracing Calmness and Overcoming Procrastination ft Paul Loomans
Ben Owden engages with Paul Loomans to explore the intersection of calmness and productivity. Loomans offers profound insights into the detrimental effects of sustained stress and the importance of embracing calmness in everyday life. They disc...
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Season 3
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Episode 67
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1:30:21
0066 - How Busyness is Stealing Our Happiness and How Our Obsession Is Robbing Us of True Meaning ft Oliver Burkeman
Ben Owden engages in a profound conversation with Oliver Burkeman, the insightful author of the New York Times bestselling book, Four Thousand Weeks. A book Adam Grant called, the most important time management book of all time. The dis...
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Season 3
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Episode 66
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55:15
0065 - Transform Your Life NOW: Unlocking Superhuman Productivity ft David Allen
In this insightful conversation, Ben and David Allen, one of the world’s most influential thinkers on productivity, explore the principles of productivity, life philosophy, and the essence of "Getting Things Done." As the creator of the GTD met...
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Season 3
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Episode 65
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1:04:41
0064 - Cultivating Your Soft Life, Saying No, Avoiding Being Average and Grow Old and Rich ft Sam Ndandala, Anna Mwasha and Chris Rwechungura
This episode features personal finance coaches, Sam Ndandala, Anna Mwasha, and Chris Rwechungura. We delve into a discussion on the Psychology of Money book by Morgan Housel.Important Links*
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Season 3
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Episode 64
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1:46:30
0063 - Invite Change and Embrace Judgment as a Catalyst for Growth ft Janet Harvey
In this episode, dive deep into the profound insights shared by leadership expert Janet Harvey. Discover the transformative power of judgment and how it catalyzes personal and leadership growth. Janet highlights the importance of courage and cu...
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Season 3
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Episode 63
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1:00:56
0062 - How to Lead Successfully in the Digital Age ft Brian Spisak
Dive into the future of leadership with renowned researcher Dr. Brian R. Spisak as he explores the transformative realm of Computational Leadership. With insights from industry giants at IBM, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, and more, discover how si...
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Season 3
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Episode 62
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56:12
0061 - How to Become a More Integrated Leader and Lead with Grace ft Alexsys Thompson
You will discover the power of self-accountability, learning to greet yourself with humility and make amends when your actions misalign with your values. Alexsys guides us through a decade-by-decade relationship inventory, emphasizing the impor...
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Season 3
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Episode 61
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1:07:22
0060 - Building the Africa We Want ft Dr. Lucy Surhyel Newman & Hon. Prof. Kitila Mkumbo
Welcome to a thought-provoking conversation that delves into the heart of transformational leadership in Africa. Join Prof. Kitila Mkumbo and me, Ben Owden as I sit down with the author, Dr. Lucy S. Newman, to unravel the intricate layers of he...
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Season 3
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Episode 60
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1:39:47
0059 - Weird, Irrational, and Wonderful Ways Humans Navigate the Workplace ft Matthias Sutter
Join the conversation as Matthias Sutter, renowned economist and author, reveals the surprising intricacies of leadership and human behavior. Unraveling the mysteries behind successful teams, he delves into the power of charisma, the impact of ...
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Season 3
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Episode 59
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1:09:00
0058 - Five Keys for Unshakable Peace and A formula for Successful Conversations ft Jeremie Kubiceck
Unveil the secrets to a more peaceful and purposeful life with Jeremie Kubichek on the latest episode! Discover how to quantify and manage your peace using the groundbreaking Peace Index. Dive deep into the journey of finding your unique purpos...
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Season 3
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Episode 58
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1:02:24
0057 - Choosing Excellence Every Time ft Christine Musisi
In this episode, Ben sits down with Ms. Christine Musisi, a leader with over 23 years of experience in the development field. Discover the power of love and integrity in leadership, and the importance of saying no for personal growth. Gain wisd...
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Season 3
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Episode 57
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51:16
0056 - The Five Ingredients of Lasting Happiness ft Tal Ben-Shahar
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar is an internationally renowned teacher, and author in the fields of happiness and leadership. In this episode, he discusses the misconceptions around happiness, particularly the belief that material success leads to happiness...
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Season 2
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Episode 56
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1:04:55
0055 - The Hero's Journey: How Leaders Can Guide Their Teams to Success ft Dr. J.J. Peterson
The guest speaker, Dr. JJ Peterson, shares his expertise in branding and marketing and highlights how leaders can use storytelling to build trust, foster effective team building, and get buy-in from their teams. He emphasizes that storytelling ...
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Season 2
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Episode 55
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1:05:20
0054 - Nurturing Curiosity & The Impact of Learning on Leadership ft Amb. Ombeni Sefue
I’d like to share a leadership conversation I had with an Amb. Ombeni Sefue. It covers various topics such as reading, change management, and growth mindset. Our guest served as Chief Secretary to the President of Tanzania and excelled as a dip...
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Season 2
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Episode 54
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1:40:51
