Podcast
How Leaders Lead with David Novak
Hosted by David Novak · EN
How Leaders Lead gives you a front-row seat to exclusive conversations with the world’s most iconic leaders across business, sports, and entertainment. Hosted by David Novak, Co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, this podcast pulls back the curtain on how top CEOs, founders, and game-changers make things happen. When you tune in, you’ll learn from legends like Tom Brady, Condoleezza Rice, Jamie Dimon, Coach Prime (Deion Sanders), Indra Nooyi, Stanley Druckenmiller, and more.
Other guests include:
CEO of Starbucks
CEO of Target
Co-founder of Home Depot
and many others...
David’s unique perspective and thought-provoking questions distill the wisdom of these leaders into actionable insights you can use to elevate your own leadership game. Whether you’re just starting your leadership journey or already leading teams, this show helps you build the confidence you need to lead well.
67episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
3 More Questions (Hayden Brown) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Sep 1500:09:19Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How can leaders build the courage and the conviction to pursue a vision that others might not see right away? How should leaders think about what belongs with the core team versus what can be outsourced to freelancers? What can leaders do to build a ‘resolve it now’ culture on their teams when it comes to resolving conflict quickly? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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#256: Hayden Brown, CEO of Upwork – Create clarity for your team
Sep 1100:56:46Summary readyFeeling stuck as a team, even though everyone’s working hard? Hayden Brown, CEO of the global freelance marketplace Upwork, joins David Novak to reveal why CLARITY might be the missing ingredient in your leadership development. In this episode of How Leaders Lead, Hayden shares how she guides her team through a rapidly changing world with clear vision, priorities, and communication. She’s also on the front lines of building remote teams, hiring freelance talent, and developing AI capability – all huge topics every leader needs to stay sharp on. 🔔Subscribe if you want more weekly insights from the world’s best leaders! You'll also learn: Three practical strategies to build strong, healthy remote/hybrid teams How to drive more AI adoption in your organization One big shift you should be aware of before you make your next hire What hard decisions really require from you Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
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3 More Questions (Clark Hunt) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Sep 800:13:31Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How can leaders keep performance high in the face of constant change? What can leaders do to get their teams to believe in a vision that feels bigger than what they think is possible? What is a good ‘gut check’ to know if you’re actually leading with humility? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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#255: Clark Hunt, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs – Be quick to give others credit
Sep 400:57:05Summary readyWhat does it take to build a dynasty … and keep it going? Clark Hunt, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs, shares what it takes to deliver results year after year in one of the most competitive leagues in the world. You’ll go point by point through the five things every dynasty needs—plus hear how humility plays a surprising role in long-term success. Whether you’re an NFL diehard or just love a good leadership playbook, this episode is the perfect way to kick off the new season. You’ll also learn: How to ensure turnover doesn’t disrupt the culture you’re building Two foundational keys to success many people overlook Why your org chart might be hurting your ability to land top talent How Clark’s dad Lamar Hunt coined the term “Super Bowl” Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
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3 More Questions (Sharon Price John) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Jul 14, 2025Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How can leaders define the concept of "emotional brand equity" in their own brand? How simple is the turnaround strategy SDSS x2 (“stop doing stupid stuff” … and then “start doing smart stuff”)? How do you know when to listen to data and when to rely on pure willpower to get something done? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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3 More Questions (Jimmy Kirchdorfer) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Jul 7, 2025Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How do YOU think about mission statements? What are some practical ways a leader can drive the concept of "psychological safety" throughout their organization? What’s your perspective on encouraging emerging leaders to chase what they are good at? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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3 More Questions (Sanjit Biswas) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Jun 23, 2025Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How do you make space for new ideas? What do you think about team discipline to create more long term business sustainability? What can other leaders learn from the "big eyes and big ears" approach to meeting with customers? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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3 More Questions (Greg Johnson) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Jun 2, 2025Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How can leaders empower their people to own decisions while still ensuring they deliver on what matters most? How can leaders avoid over-indexing on data and still keep people at the heart of decision making? What are the most important ways a leader can set the right tone? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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3 More Questions (Ed Bastian) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
May 12, 2025Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: Do leaders need to be readily available, or is there a line? What can other leaders learn from how Ed navigated the reinvention of the company? What would you say to leaders facing unimaginable personal or professional hardship about how to keep going when it all feels like too much? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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3 More Questions (Rocky Collis) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
Jul 8, 2024Summary readyOn this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How could leaders use the idea of "wins above replacement" to evaluate talent for their organization? What’s the most important aspect of self coaching and how can leaders develop that skill? What do you think about scaling the genius of one person throughout an organization and to thousands of customers? ———GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — Download today in the App Store Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!
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