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
84 episodes
0083 - The AI Playbook: How to Win with Machine Learning ft Eric Siegel
What if you could predict who will buy, who will click—or even who might lie or die? In this episode, Ben Owden sits down with Dr. Eric Siegel founder of Machine Learning Week, a globally recognized expert on demysti...
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Season 3
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Episode 83
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1:05:54
0082 - Why Most Strategy Fails—And How to Fix It ft Dr. Felix Oberholzer-Gee
What if everything you thought you knew about strategy was wrong—or at least incomplete? In this eye-opening episode, Ben Owden sits down with Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Harvard Business School’s Andreas Andersen Professor of Business ...
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Season 3
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Episode 82
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1:13:16
0081 - Stop Fixing—Start Transforming: How to Spark Real Change ft Dr. Monica Sharma
How do we create a world where our children—and all of us—can truly thrive? In this episode, Ben Owden sits down with Dr. Monica Sharma, a physician, epidemiologist, and former senior leader at the United Nations, whose groundbrea...
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Season 3
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Episode 81
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1:10:42
0080 - Why ‘I Have Feedback for You’ Feels So Scary—and How to Move Past It ft Jason Rosoff
Ever felt your heart sink when someone says, “I have some feedback for you”? You’re not alone. In this insightful episode, I chat with Jason Rosoff, co-founder of Radical Candor, about the gripping fear and anxiety that oft...
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Season 3
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Episode 80
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1:16:16
0079 - Stop Wasting Money, Focus on Your Most Profitable Customers ft Peter Fader
Kick off the new year with a fresh perspective on your business strategy! In this episode, Ben Owden chats with Dr. Peter Fader, Wharton professor and co-founder of a predictive analytics firm acquired by Nike. Peter is also the author o...
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Season 3
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Episode 79
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1:00:35
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
