The Remarkable Leadership Podcast

What would it take for your organization to become truly superintelligent in the age of AI? In this episode, Kevin sits down with Stephen Wunker to explore how leaders must move beyond simply layering AI onto existing processes and instead rethink their organizations from first principles. Steve uses the metaphor of the octopus, with its distributed intelligence and interconnected yet autonomous arms, to explain how AI enables a shift from rigid, top-down hierarchies to flexible, horizontally connected "work charts" where information gets to the right people at the right time. They discuss why electrification and the railroads offer powerful historical parallels, what most organizations are getting wrong about AI adoption, and why middle managers are not becoming obsolete but must evolve into change leaders. This conversation challenges leaders to stop bolting AI onto yesterday's structures and instead reimagine how work gets done. Stephen's Story: Stephen Wunker is the co-author with Jonathan Brill of AI and the Octopus Organization: Building the Superintelligent Firm. He is the Managing Director of New Markets Advisors, a global consulting firm that helps ambitious innovators—including 29 of the Fortune 500—find their next wave of growth. He's founded four pioneering companies, developed one of the world's first smartphones, and worked with AI initiatives for over a dozen years. A longtime collaborator of Harvard Business School legend Clayton Christensen, Wunker has advised hundreds of organizations and is considered one of the world's leading authorities on innovation. He's written over 100 articles for Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and others, and authored four other bestselling books. Steve holds an MBA with Honors from Harvard Business School, a Master's of Public Administration from Columbia University, and a BA cum laude from Princeton University. https://www.newmarketsadvisors.com/books/ai-and-the-octopus-organization https://www.newmarketsadvisors.com/speaker https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwunker/ Looking to Develop Stronger Leaders? Want help developing the leaders in your organization? Reach out to explore how the Kevin Eikenberry Group can support your team at [email protected]. Book Recommendations AI and the Octopus Organization: Building the Superintelligent Firm by Jonathan Brill and Stephen Wunker Why New Technologies Don't Transform Incumants - an HBR article Like this? How AI Can Help You Create a SuperIntelligent Enterprise with Nada Sanders The Octopus Organization with Phil Le-Brun Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP

Are you unintentionally slowing your team down by rewarding overpreparation? In this episode of Remarkable TV, I explore a leadership trap many of us fall into: equating more preparation with better results. But in today's fast-moving, uncertain world, that assumption can cost us time, momentum, and better decisions. You'll learn: Why "what gets rewarded gets done" matters more than you think The difference between progress and polish How overpreparation is often fear in disguise Why more prep doesn't always lead to better decisions How leaders set the tone for speed, clarity, and results If you want a team that moves faster, thinks better, and delivers results—not just polished presentations—this episode is for you. Get my free Your Remarkable Day newsletter: https://KevinEikenberry.com/newsletters My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/ Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media: https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.

What if you treated every meeting you lead as a product you were responsible for designing? In this conversation, Kevin sits down with Rebecca Hinds to explore why meetings—arguably the most important product in any organization—are often created with less intention than the products and services we sell. Rebecca shares why meetings become organizational "junk drawers" and explains how applying a product-design lens can transform them from time drains into high-leverage leadership tools. Drawing on the seven principles from her book, she challenges leaders to rethink meeting volume, confront "meeting debt," clarify communication systems, and use meaningful measures like return on time investment to evaluate effectiveness. Rebecca's Story: Rebecca Hinds is the author of Your Best Meeting Ever: 7 Principles for Designing Meetings that Get Things Done. She is a leading expert on organizational behavior and the future of work and holds a BS, MS, and PhD from Stanford University. Rebecca founded the Work Innovation Lab at Asana and the Work AI Institute at Glean, first-of-their-kind corporate think tanks dedicated to conducting cutting-edge research on the future of work. Her research is consistently featured in top-tier publications and has appeared in places like Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fast Company, Wired, TIME, CNBC, Bloomberg, Axios, the Washington Post, and more. Rebecca has been invited to speak on major stages all across the world, including Dreamforce, SXSW, INBOUND, Ai4, Cloudfest, and the Gartner Digital Workplace Summit. She regularly appears on podcasts, webinars, and online education programs, including appearances on Adam Grant's Worklife podcast, Deloitte's Capital H podcast, and as an instructor for CNBC's Make It Masterclass, "How to Use AI to be More Productive and Successful at Work." https://www.rebeccahinds.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-hinds/ Looking to Develop Stronger Leaders? Want help developing the leaders in your organization? Reach out to explore how the Kevin Eikenberry Group can support your team at [email protected] Book Recommendations Your Best Meeting Ever: 7 Principles for Designing Meetings That Get Things Done by Rebecca Hinds When the Dove Appears by Steve Barley Like this? Making Meetings Matter with Elise Keith Managing the Modern (Hybrid) Meeting with Karin Reed Reducing Meeting Fatigue (in 20 minutes or less) with Jennifer Moss Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP

How often do you think about your habits? The reality is that a large portion of what we do every day is automatic. And while habits help us function efficiently, they can also quietly limit our growth—especially if we never stop to examine them. In this episode, I explore the double-edged nature of habits: why they are essential, why they can be dangerous, and how unexamined habits may be holding you—and your organization—back from improving. If you want to grow as a leader, it starts with awareness. Resources & Next Steps If you'd like help improving your leadership or your organization's results, reach out: [email protected] My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/ Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media: https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.

Are you designing your employee experience or just letting it happen? Most leaders talk about employee experience, but few intentionally shape it. In this episode, Kevin sits down with Dean Carter to explore why that's a costly mistake. Dean gets to the point: What do your employees actually experience every single day? Because while culture is what your organization is, employee experience is what your people feel. Dean emphasizes that designing employee experience must be intentional, continuous, and co-created with employees rather than imposed on them. He also shares real stories showing how listening in real time, acting on feedback, and giving people genuine agency can transform engagement, trust, and performance, even in struggling organizations. Dean's Story: Dean E. Carter is the co-author of Employee Experience Design: How to Co-create Work Where People and Organizations Thrive. He is newly named CEO at Instill.ai and has over two decades of experience as an executive officer for renowned, and Fortune50 companies, such as Patagonia and Sears, as well as a board director for private and publicly traded companies. His views on employee experience and the future of work are frequently featured in global publications, podcasts, corporate events, and mainstage keynotes. https://www.linkedin.com/in/deancarter/ Looking to Develop Stronger Leaders? Want help developing the leaders in your organization? Reach out to explore how the Kevin Eikenberry Group can support your team at [email protected]. Book Recommendations Employee Experience Design: How to Co-create Work Where People and Organizations Thrive by Dean E. Carter, Samantha Gadd , Mark Levy Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter Than You Know by Angus Fletcher Like this? Understanding the Employee Experience with Jacob Morgan Leading Change Intelligently with Barbara Trautlein Building Community (in 20 minutes or less) with Jennifer Moss Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP

Clarity is one of the most powerful — and most overlooked — leadership advantages. When leaders are clear about goals, priorities, strategy, and expectations, their teams can perform at a much higher level. But when clarity is missing, confusion spreads quickly throughout the organization. In this episode of Remarkable TV, we explore a critical leadership question: Are your leaders clear? Want help building clarity in your organization? Email [email protected] My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/ Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media: https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.

How does understanding the anatomy of leadership help us navigate personal and organizational change more effectively? In this conversation, Kevin and Louisa Loran discuss that while transformation often feels large, complex, and organizational, it is ultimately experienced and enacted by one person at a time. Louisa describes leadership as a living system with four interconnected elements: envisioning what is possible, expanding curiosity to explore new options, steering decisively through priorities and choices, and embodying presence so others can trust and follow. They address how leaders can navigate change, especially when they don't fully agree with directions set from above. Louisa emphasizes that change is rarely black and white. Instead of resisting or disengaging, effective leaders find their own point of alignment, clarify how they can contribute meaningfully, and channel their energy toward what they can influence. Listen For 00:00 Introduction – Leading Through Technology and People 00:38 Welcome to the Remarkable Leadership Podcast 01:26 Meet Louisa Loran (Author of Leadership Anatomy in Motion) 02:31 Why "Leadership Anatomy"? The Core Idea Behind the Book 03:43 Why Change Is Personal, Not Organizational 05:31 What If You Don't Believe in the Change as a Leader? 09:16 The 4 Elements of Leadership Anatomy 11:23 The Power of Collective Intelligence in Teams 18:04 Strategy, Framing, and Thinking Beyond Current Constraints 19:42 Why Busyness Is So Dangerous for Leaders 22:29 Rethinking Work with Zero-Based Thinking 24:15 Why Change Takes Time to Take Hold 25:30 Louisa's Personal Reset: Dancing and Life Outside Work 26:26 What Louisa Is Reading Right Now 29:47 Where to Connect with Louisa + Her New Book 30:34 Kevin's Final Leadership Question: "Now What?" Louisa's Story: Louisa Loran is the author of Leadership Anatomy in Motion: Empowering You to Lead Through Technology and People. She has led transformative growth across some of the world's most respected companies—DIAGEO, MAERSK, and Google. At Google, Louisa launched a billion-dollar supply chain solutions business, doubled growth in a global industry vertical, and led strategic business transformation for the company's largest customers in EMEA—working at the forefront of AI, data, and platform innovation. At MAERSK, she co-authored the strategy that redefined the brand globally and doubled its share price, helping pivot the company from traditional shipping to integrated logistics. Her career began in the luxury and FMCG space with Moët Hennessy and DIAGEO, where she built iconic brands and led innovation at the intersection of heritage and digital transformation. Louisa also serves on the boards of Copenhagen Business School and CataCap Private Equity https://www.louisaloran.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisa-loran/ Looking to Develop Stronger Leaders? Want help developing the leaders in your organization? Reach out to explore how the Kevin Eikenberry Group can support your team at [email protected]. Book Recommendations Leadership Anatomy in Motion: Empowering You to Lead Through Technology and People by Louisa Loran The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind by John Coates The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey Fusion Strategy: How Real-Time Data and AI Will Power the Industrial Future by Vijay Govindarajan and Venkat Venkatraman Like this? The Psychology of Leadership with Sébastien Page Creating Strength in Chaos with Kevin Black Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes

Have you ever had an idea that felt perfectly clear in your head… until you tried explaining it? Suddenly someone asks a question, and the idea that seemed so solid starts to fall apart. In this episode, I explore a simple but powerful idea: thoughts are fuzzy, words bring clarity. When we put our thoughts into words—whether spoken or written—we begin to see them more clearly. That clarity helps us communicate better, strengthen relationships, and lead more effectively. I share why this happens and offer practical examples you can use immediately with your team and colleagues. Key Ideas From This Episode Why ideas feel clearer in our heads than they actually are How speaking our thoughts exposes gaps in our thinking Why writing things down can sharpen clarity How leaders can communicate expectations and boundaries more effectively Why assumptions hurt communication—and how conversation fixes them How teams gain clarity through discussion Your Remarkable Day Newsletter Three days a week I share leadership ideas, encouragement, and insights designed to help you reach your potential as a leader and a human being. Learn more and subscribe: https://KevinEikenberry.com/newsletters My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/ Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media: https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.