The difference between average and greatness might be one or two well executed things. 12 Geniuses explores the highly successful people in business, athletics, and music so we can all learn how to perform at our highest level.
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What if human flourishing was the measure by which we evaluate organizations? In this episode of 12 Geniuses entrepreneur and bestselling author Eric Ries discusses his groundbreaking book, Incorruptible, and why the future belongs to organizations designed not merely to generate wealth, but to help people flourish. Eric argues that too many businesses eventually succumb to what he calls "financial gravity” - the relentless pressure to prioritize short-term profits over purpose, people, and long-term value. Even companies founded with noble intentions can slowly drift away from their mission u
Change is no longer an event. It's the environment. The leaders who thrive won't be the ones who resist it, but those who embrace it, learn to navigate it with confidence and purpose, and understand that change brings opportunity. In this episode of 12 Geniuses, host Don MacPherson welcomes Dr. Gilles Benoit and Dr. Mitch Kusy, co-authors of The Playbook for Leading Change, for a practical conversation about leading through the social, political, technological, and organizational changes reshaping our world. Drawing from decades of research and executive coaching, Gilles and Mitch share proven
When it comes to pushing through and achieving the unimaginable, our minds will give out well before our bodies. The question is: can you control the mind and overcome the doubts that it produces? After losing his leg in a motorcycle accident, Sam Maddaus made a decision few people would consider and even fewer would attempt: he set out alone to ride a bicycle 16,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina using a prosthetic leg. Over the course of 21 months, Sam crossed continents, endured physical pain, navigated uncertainty, confronted isolation, and repeatedly faced moments th
In a world of constant disruption, resilience is a superpower. In a world of convenience, ease, and growing abundance, building resilience is becoming increasingly difficult - especially among children. Grit, determination, tenacity, and resolve are valued traits, but too few parents know how to build these characteristics in their children through the “ordinary magic” of childhood. Brandon Webb is a former U.S. Navy SEAL sniper instructor and author of the book “Puddle Jumpers.” In this interview, Brandon shares how true mental toughness is built through calm consistency, emotional safety, an
Imagine a world where the meetings people are required to attend are cut by 90% or more. Instead, leaders are able to spend more time doing higher value work connecting with other people while their “identic” selves go to meetings and do other work on their behalf. Instead of 24 hours in a day, each person can have a limitless number of AI digital twins representing them. Productivity could explode. Agentic AI - tools that can complete goal-oriented tasks for an individual - are becoming commonly used. However, Identic AI takes productivity to another level. Identic AI tools understand your ju
In a world where technology is advancing faster than many people can comprehend, anxiety and uncertainty are becoming part of the human experience. Breakthroughs in generative AI, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies are transforming how we live, work, and govern ourselves faster than institutions and individuals can adapt. In this episode, global ethics expert Dr. Andrea Bonime-Blanc explores the human side of this technological acceleration. She discusses why the rapid rise of artificial intelligence is creating widespread unease, how the nature of work is likely to shift as intell
Dr. Ben Zweig joins the podcast from NYU’s Stern School of Business to discuss what is wrong with the world of work and how to fix it. Ben is the author of the book “Job Architecture: Building a Language for Workforce Intelligence,” professor of Economics, and CEO of Revelio Labs. In this conversation, Ben discusses the challenges created when a new employee finds out after working a few months that the job that was described to them is different than what they are doing. Ben says this lack of clarity results in pendulum swings between rapid job expansions and mass layoffs. He also discusses h
For 50 years, Bob Chapman was CEO of Barry-Wehmiller until his retirement in 2025. Bob’s approach to organizational culture is unique and inspiring. He believes the workplace should be a source of dignity that enables every team member to flourish. This approach is the subject of Bob’s book “Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Treating Your People Like Family” and the ethos behind Barry-Wehmiller’s success. In this interview, Bob and host Don MacPherson discuss what it looks like to have leaders throughout an organization care for their people like members of their own family. They d
Sébastien Page is Chief Investment Officer at T. Rowe Price and author of “The Psychology of Leadership.” In this interview, Sébastien discusses what he has learned about sports psychology that applies to leading in the corporate environment and in the management of $500B in assets at T. Rowe Price. The conversation continues as Sébastien dives into the psychological principles that distinguish truly great leaders from good ones and how leaders can use positive psychology to better run their teams. Sébastien also talks about how relationship development and trust creation are crucial to thrivi
One of the world’s most enduring organizations, the United States Marine Corps, celebrates its 250th birthday on November 10th, 2025. The Marines have deep, rich tradition and, remarkably, the Marine Corps has been able to innovate while reinventing itself over the course of its history. In this interview, Col. Ben Davenport (Ret.) discusses what makes the Marine Corps unique. He shares why he believes the Marine Corps is so resilient and has maintained its relevance throughout its history. Ben also discusses what leaders in business can learn from the Marine Corps culture, discipline, and app
Parenting today often feels like an uphill battle, with technology invading every corner of our kids’ lives. From the rise of social media addiction to the growing mental health crisis among children and teens, parents are grappling with how they can create a healthy, balanced relationship with technology for their kids. In this interview, Dr. Jean Twenge draws on her decades as a psychologist studying the impact of technology and mental health and her personal experience as the mother of three teenagers. She describes how technology is harming children and how that harm has grown in recent ye
Most people have an understanding of just how devastating social media and unrestrained access to technology have been to teens and young adults. What’s less understood is what the next threat is going to be to young people and their mental health. Evidence is mounting that it’s likely to be artificial intelligence and the very strange relationships people are starting to create with AI companions. People are using AI as their coaches, therapists, trusted friends, and even their romantic partners. According to Common Sense Media, more than half of American teens are using AI companions at leas
Living and working in groups is both a blessing and a curse. Too often, groups are in the news for all the wrong reasons: conformity, polarization, prejudice, conflict, and general mass stupidity. The secret is understanding how to work with the invisible forces of group dynamics instead of being mindlessly pushed around by them. In this interview, Dr. Colin Fisher shares his research on what leaders need to know and do in order to get their teams to perform up to their potential. He also shares how conformity can be used as an asset and competition can be detrimental to the way groups and tea
To have liberated lives, people often need to overcome past narratives, survivor's remorse, fear, the inability to forgive, and a host of other barriers. These barriers can be “hidden prisons,” according to Shaka Senghor - the author of “How to Be Free: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons.” Shaka knows about prisons - the hidden ones and the ones with locks, walls, and bars. He spent 19 years incarcerated - seven of which were in solitary confinement. While in prison, Shaka educated himself, found positive role models, and completely transformed his life in a way that has enabled
Getting people to voluntarily share their best information and act in the best interest of their team are two of the biggest challenges leaders face. In an insecure economy, it can be more difficult to get people on a team to demonstrate prosocial behavior, however, Dr. Vanessa Druskat’s research proves that emotionally intelligent teams that are supportive of each other - by listening deeply, offering help, and celebrating the successes of others - will offer superior results. In this interview, Dr. Druskat shares how leaders can build collaborative groups that outperform the competition. She
Tien Tzuo has been at the epicenter of Silicon Valley innovation for three and a half decades. In 1990, Tien was hired by Oracle. Eight years later, he joined Salesforce as employee #11. In 2007, he co-founded Zuora, a company he has been running since its creation. Tien and his team grew Zuora from an idea to a company that was valued at $1.5B when it was acquired in early 2025. In this interview, Tien shares why great startups need to have a visionary who is supported by leaders who can manage both relationships and execution. He dispels the Genius/Jerk myth so often associated with leaders
There is a theory that humanity is on the precipice of abundance. But what exactly is abundance? Speaker and author Chad Sanschagrin says that abundance is often confused with things or money. He describes abundance as “more than enough” - love, health, faith, and contribution. In the full interview, Chad shares his definition of abundance and the most common barriers that prevent people from experiencing abundance. He goes on to talk about how the power of choice is much stronger than an individual’s circumstances. Chad says that the key to creating an abundance mindset is shifting the storie
It’s clear that artificial intelligence is going to be one of the most powerful forces shaping the future of humanity and the planet today and over the next two decades. Much of the AI discourse is negative or dystopian themed. Far too little AI news is highlighting how the planet’s problems and the challenges humans face can be solved. In this conversation, futurist Jack Uldrich paints a picture of how we can collectively benefit from the advancements in artificial intelligence. Given the moving target of forecasting the future, Jack provides AI scenarios that he is 99% certain will occur, 75
Achieving peak performance is something athletes strive to attain and getting that peak performance to coalesce is the goal for coaches, managers, and trainers leading teams in pursuit of victory. As sports psychologist Simon Hartley says, getting elite athletes to perform up to their potential is more about the mind than it is the body. In this conversation, Simon Hartley - author of “Master Mental Toughness” and “Stronger Together” - discusses the factors that lead to peak athletic performance, the habits and routines of world-class athletes, and how these lessons can be applied in a busines
Why do people make it so difficult on themselves to achieve their goals and pursue happiness? Why do people “attach” themselves to unhealthy things that hold them back or hold them down? These attachments vary widely, ranging from attachments to the past or future, control or perfection, and success or pleasure. In this interview, Dr. Bob Rosen says the secret to letting go of the attachments holding someone back is to replace them with more powerful aspirations. To overcome the attachment to “stability,” one has to learn to embrace and become agile. To get past the attachment of “control,” th
In a world where technology is doing more work for humans, the connections we create with other people will become more important than ever. But for many people, phones and screens are the main ways they see the world and communicate with others. The question is how can we cultivate relationships - through a screen or in real life - that are fulfilling and will help us reach our goals. In this interview, Topaz Adizes discusses his book 12 Questions for Love: A Guide to Intimate Conversations and Deeper Relationships. Topaz is working to help people create deeper human connection not only in ma
Each day, more than 10,000 Baby Boomers in America turn 65…and it’s been happening for years. By 2034, there will be more Americans over the age of 65 than under the age of 18. It’s unprecedented. How those Baby Boomers continue to participate in society will be an overwhelming factor in what kind of country and world younger generations inherit. An aging population is not just an American phenomenon. It’s happening in many developed countries. Aging is one of the trends that will have an outsized influence over the next 20 years. Artificial intelligence is another. The AI we experience in 202
The United States is deeply divided politically and it’s not the only country experiencing this challenge. Too many people are focused on what makes us different rather than taking the time to understand what we have in common. In this interview, Doug Lennick, CEO of Think2Perform, discusses what he has learned from Think2Perform’s global study on personal values. Hundreds of thousands of people from over 140 countries have participated in the study. Not surprisingly, people everywhere - regardless of their religion, political affiliation, country, or age - value their families, health, and ha
The future can be a terrifying, anxiety-inducing destination for many people. Thoughts of robots running amok, out-of-control AI, and a speed of life that is beyond comprehension are often ways in which the future is described. That doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, the future doesn’t have to be something that happens to people. The future can be created. That’s the position of Dr. Bertalan Meskó. He is a futurist who has focused his career studying healthcare and advances in the field of medicine. He is also the author of the book “Your Map to the Future.” In this interview, Dr. Meskó dis
Magical technologies surround humans in the developed world. It’s taken for granted that on-demand electricity, stocked grocery stores with food from around the world, communication that enables anyone with a smart phone to broadcast their lives globally, and various modes of safe, cheap transportation are the norm. Someone living just a century earlier would find today’s world unrecognizable. Yet, these changes are minor compared to the possible changes to come. Artificial intelligence is in its infancy and already its transformative powers are easy to feel. Space exploration, space mining, a
