The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast
Each week we analyze different leadership traits, trends, and what it really takes to get to the 90th percentile.
Zenger Folkman Leadership
Show overview
The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast has been publishing since 2020, and across the 6 years since has built a catalogue of 228 episodes, alongside 4 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 55 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run ten to twenty minutes — most land between 13 min and 18 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language Business show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 weeks ago, with 22 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2021, with 47 episodes published. Published by Zenger Folkman Leadership.
From the publisher
Using over 1.5 million assessments from leaders across the world, renowned psychometrician Joe Folkman and leadership legend Jack Zenger are here to settle the debates and let the data speak for itself. Each week they analyze different leadership traits, trends, and what it really takes to get to the 90th percentile. These short episodes feature compelling stories, research, and actions that leaders can take to improve. To learn more visit https://zengerfolkman.com/podcast/.
Latest Episodes
View all 228 episodesYour Feedback Is Too Nice to Be Useful
Your Employees Know When You’re Pretending to Listen
AI in the Workplace: The Leadership Skills AI Can’t Replace
Leadership Blind Spots: Why Others See You More Clearly
Episode 190: The Leadership Skill Everyone Thinks Is Dangerous
Episode 189: Your Good Leaders Are the Hidden Problem
Episode 188: Remembering Jack Zenger—The Leader Behind the Research
Episode 187: The Future of Employee Development
Episode 186: Filling the Missing Gap in Early Career Development: Extraordinary You
Episode 185: Are You Overestimating Your Effectiveness? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)
Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice
<p>Episode Description In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, BreAnne Okoren and Jack Zenger sit down with leadership expert Michelle Fabian to explore one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of effective coaching: presence. While many leadership coaching models focus on goal setting, performance gaps, and action plans, this conversation takes a different approach. Michelle … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-184-coaching-is-connection-first-why-presence-outperforms-advice/">Continued</a></p> <p>The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-184-coaching-is-connection-first-why-presence-outperforms-advice/">Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.</p>
Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice
Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust
<p>Episode Description Gossip may seem like a minor workplace habit, but the research tells a very different story. In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne and Joe Folkman explore new data from Zenger Folkman’s 360-degree leadership assessments revealing how destructive comments about others can quietly undermine a leader’s effectiveness. Based on feedback from hundreds … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-183-the-gossip-trap-one-leadership-habit-that-quietly-destroys-trust/">Continued</a></p> <p>The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-183-the-gossip-trap-one-leadership-habit-that-quietly-destroys-trust/">Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.</p>
Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust
Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore
Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore
<p>Episode Description In a time of tighter budgets and higher scrutiny, leadership development is often one of the first investments leaders feel pressure to justify—or cut. But what if that decision is quietly costing organizations far more than they realize? In this episode, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Orin Salas, Vice President of Sales at … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-182-does-leadership-development-actually-pay-off-the-roi-leaders-cant-ignore/">Continued</a></p> <p>The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-182-does-leadership-development-actually-pay-off-the-roi-leaders-cant-ignore/">Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.</p>
Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026
Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026
<p>Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren and Joe Folkman unpack Zenger Folkman’s new Leadership Skills 2026 Report and explore what truly differentiates leaders in an AI-accelerated world. As AI makes information faster and cheaper, one capability is becoming increasingly scarce: human leadership. Drawing on fresh data from tens of thousands of leaders … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-181-highlights-from-the-leadership-skills-report-2026/">Continued</a></p> <p>The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-181-highlights-from-the-leadership-skills-report-2026/">Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.</p>
Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time
<p>Details Trust in leadership is often framed as a generational issue—older leaders are assumed to be more credible because of experience, while younger leaders are expected to “prove themselves” before earning trust. But Zenger Folkman research challenges these assumptions. In this episode of The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast, BreAnne Okoren sits down with … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-180-the-generational-trust-myth-why-behavior-beats-age-every-time/">Continued</a></p> <p>The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/episode-180-the-generational-trust-myth-why-behavior-beats-age-every-time/">Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.</p>