A Podcast About Leadership

What does it take to lead in a place where ambition has no ceiling — where building the world's tallest skyscraper is just the beginning, and failure isn't an option? The Gulf Cooperation Council region has achieved what many thought impossible: transforming desert into global economic powerhouses in a single generation. But that kind of velocity creates a unique leadership challenge.

Jonathan Kirschner speaks with Wissam Adib, executive coach and leadership advisor based in Dubai, who has spent twenty years at the center of the UAE's transformation. Adib, a veteran of Dubai's government reform programs and now part of...

In this bonus episode of A Podcast About Leadership, AIIR CEO Dr. Jonathan Kirschner sits down with Dr. Michael Platt — professor across three schools at the University of Pennsylvania, founder of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, and author of The Leader's Brain — to explore the science of social connection and what it means for leadership.

From a landmark monkey study on a Puerto Rico island to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Dr. Platt shares surprising findings about resilience, friendship, and the brain's capacity to adapt under pressure. The conversation spans genetics, grooming, empire-building, and why the most connected empl...

What is actually happening in the brain when a team clicks, a leader inspires, or a group of individuals becomes something greater than the sum of its parts? According to one of the world's leading neuroscientists, the answer lies not in strategy decks or personality assessments, but in the biology of human connection — and most leaders are only scratching the surface of what that means.

On this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, AIIR Consulting CEO Jonathan Kirschner is joined by Dr. Michael Platt, professor across three schools at the University of Pennsylvania, founder of the Wharton Ne...

What separates good performers from truly elite ones, and why do some teams suddenly turn things around while others stay stuck? According to leaders working at the highest levels of professional sport, the answer is not just talent, technique, or effort. It is mindset, decision-making, recovery, and the often invisible dynamics that shape how people perform under pressure.

On this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, AIIR Consulting CEO Dr. Jonathan Kirshner is joined by three world-class performance experts operating at the intersection of sport, psychology, and leadership: Simon Rice, Vice President of Athlete Care for the...

From the outside, an IPO can look like it's all confetti, bell ringing, and a soaring valuations. But, behind the scenes, it’s one of the most intense leadership transitions a company can face. Scrutiny increases overnight. The margin for error shrinks. And the leadership behaviors that fueled early growth can break under the weight of scale.

In this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, host Dr. Jonathan Kirchner sits down with two leaders who have seen what it really takes to navigate that shift: Gary Survis (Operating Partner, Insight Partners) and Katherine “Kat” Williamson (VP of Talent...

What does CEO succession look like when it’s planned, values-led, and built for continuity and change at the same time?

In this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, host Jonathan Kirschner, founder and CEO of AIIR Consulting, sits down with three leaders who’ve lived the succession story from every angle:

Reade Fahs, who led National Vision for more than two decades, guiding the company from a modest optical chain into one of the largest vision care retailers in America — and who recently transitioned out of the role of CEO.

Alex Wilkes, Nation...

Can love be a serious strategy in today’s high-pressure business environment?

In this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, host and AIIR Consulting CEO Dr. Jonathan Kirchner is joined by Bob Chavez, former President and CEO of Hermès Americas, and Jamie Ramsden, author and executive coach to both Jonathan and Bob.

Together, they explore a leadership philosophy centered on trust, care for people, and long-term commitment — a deliberate alternative to fear-based leadership and short-term thinking.

Drawing on Bob’s extraordinary journey — from his childhood on what he calls “the wrong side of the trac...

What does it take to lead when change is no longer episodic but constant and fluid? On this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, AIIR Consulting CEO Dr. Jonathan Kirschner sits down with Dr. Joy Nissen and Ian Wilcox to explore how leaders can stay grounded, resilient, and effective in a world where stability feels increasingly out of reach.

Drawing on careers in psychology, organizational science, and global consulting, Joy and Ian unpack why traditional change models no longer fit the moment. Today’s reality demands something different. Leaders must regulate their own energy, create stability for ot...

What really determines whether a company thrives or unravels under pressure? According to John Touey, one of the country’s most trusted C-suite recruiters, it comes down to a single, often overlooked truth: the CEO, CFO, and CHRO form the power structure that governs the entire enterprise. If that trio isn’t aligned, nothing else works.

On this episode, AIIR Consulting CEO Dr. Jonathan Kirschner sits down with John — Managing Partner at Trilogy Talent Advisors and a masterful “C-suite whisperer” — to reveal what he’s seen across thousands of board conversations, CEO transitions, and high-stakes leadership searches. This conversat...

What does “human-first” leadership look like inside a company building the future of artificial intelligence? AIIR Consulting CEO Jonathan Kirschner and Joy Nissen sit down with Gideon Rosenberg — Deputy General Counsel and Head of HR for NVIDIA Israel — to explore how empathy and uncompromising standards can (and should) coexist.

Gideon offers a rare inside view into NVIDIA’s culture under CEO Jensen Huang, where people are empowered to “do their life’s work” and leadership begins with trust, not titles.

In this episode, we explore:

Inside NVIDIA’s Leadership DNA: How Jensen Huang’s mantra to “do your...

In this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, Dr. Jonathan Kirschner sits down with Reese Haydon to explore what it takes to lead with agility, curiosity, and care in today’s fast-moving world.

Reese's career has included senior talent management roles at some of the biggest companies in the tech industry, including Cisco, Dropbox, and Salesforce, among others.

Drawing from his extensive experience, Reese offers a rare, insider’s view into how leadership must evolve across different organizational contexts. He and Jonathan unpack what distinguishes exceptional leaders in high-growth environments, how to balance innovation with stru...

For decades, executive coaching and psychotherapy have been treated as distinct disciplines — one focused on business performance, the other on unpacking unproductive patterns and personal healing. But, in recent years, the two have been creeping closer together. As they have, it has begged the question, are coaching and therapy really that different?

In this thought-provoking episode of A Podcast About Leadership, Dr. Jonathan Kirschner, clinical psychologist and CEO of AIIR Consulting, sits down with two of his fellow psychologists turned executive coaches, Dr. Joy Nissen and Dr. Davida Vogel, to explore how the worlds of clinical psychology an...

In pharma, the barrier to progress isn’t usually the science—it’s how well leaders align brilliant, functionally deep experts to move an asset forward together. In this candid conversation, AIIR Consulting CEO Jonathan Kirschner sits down with Ian Wilcox (AIIR Advisory Board member; former Global Head of Life Sciences at HayGroup; executive advisor and investor) and Megan Marshall (Managing Partner, AIIR Consulting) to unpack what it really takes to lead in matrixed cross-functional teams—from early research through clinical, regulatory, manufacturing, medical affairs, and commercial.

Drawing on decades in the industry, Jonathan, Megan, and Ian explore...

Fifty years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to spend their entire career at a single company, with a clear career path and the resources and training programs to give them the skills they needed to advance along that path. Today, that world has largely disappeared. Organizations hire to meet their needs, employees move on quickly, and the bonds of loyalty have dissolved in both directions.

Few people understand this transformation better than Dr. Peter Cappelli. Peter is the bestselling author of Talent on Demand, The New Deal at Work, Our Least Important Asset, In Praise of...

In this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, Dr. Jonathan Kirschner, founder and CEO of AIIR Consulting, explores the mindset and skillset leaders need to navigate uncertainty. As volatility and complexity redefine the workplace, Kirschner challenges traditional notions of resilience and offers a modern, science-backed approach to navigating ambiguity with confidence. Drawing on AIIR’s proven leadership framework, he shares practical tools for self-regulation, emotional agility, and strategic decision-making under pressure. From managing high-performing teams in turbulent times to turning disruption into opportunity, this conversation equips leaders with the insight to stay grounded, adaptive, and impactful—no matt...

Welcome to A Podcast About Leadership, brought to you by AIIR Consulting. 

In today’s episode, AIIR Head of Team Effectiveness Dave Gloss speaks with Dean Bell, a leader in KPMG’s Deal Advisory and Strategy practice and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. 

Dean has more than 20 years of experience and expertise leading M&As. In this conversation, he and Dave talk about he state of the market, what separates successful mergers and acquisitions from those that aren’t, and what it takes to combine two companies with different cultures.

This is the second episode in our skills series! In this series, we’ll explore the 45 skills represented in the AIIR Leadership Framework in 5 minutes or less, so that you can learn, then get back to leading.  Today, we’re talking about a skill everyone could use more of: Self-Awareness.

Welcome to "A Podcast About Leadership," brought to you by AIIR Consulting. Each episode, our network of experts explores the challenges leaders face, and the skills they'll need to overcome them.

Dealing with change is nothing new for successful leaders. But over the past decade, the speed and severity of change has increased exponentially. The result? Nearly 70% of leaders report feeling overwhelmed by change. In this episode, we talk to Jamie Ramsden, an author, former CEO and senior executive coach about what it takes to lead in such a dynamic environment. 

We also talk about J...

This is the first episode in our skills series! In this series, we’ll explore the 45 skills represented in the AIIR Leadership Framework in 5 minutes or less, so that you can learn, then get back to leading.  Today, we’re starting with a skill identified by our 2024 Leadership Trends survey as one of the most important for leaders in the coming year: Self-Care.

Welcome to A Podcast About Leadership, brought to you by AIIR Consulting. Each episode, we talk to experts about the always-changing challenges leaders face, and the skills and support they need to overcome those challenges. In this episode, we delve into the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on leadership with data scientist, AI expert and author Dr. Bruce Katz.

AI has been around for a while. But over the past two years it has evolved at an unprecedented pace, upending the workplace with its ability to perform not only repetitive roles, but the analytical roles that...

In this episode, Thom Fox is joined by Derek Lusk, Ph. D, Head of Executive Assessment at AIIR.  In his role, Derek leverages his background in psychology and statistics to forecast success in top leadership roles. One of the aspects influencing a leader’s success is their ability to inspire and motivate others, which impacts employee engagement. According to the Gallup organization, in the United States 32% of full- and part-time employees are engaged, while 17% are actively disengaged. We delve into how the movement toward a decentralized workplace, accelerated by the advent of remote and hybrid opportunities, impacts employee engagement, as...

In this episode, we bring you an insightful conversation on the power of bringing teams together from AIIR Consulting’s Webinar Series. AIIR Head of Team Effectiveness Dave Gloss joins Carole Streicher, U.S. Deal Advisory and Strategy Leader at KPMG, to talk about why bringing teams together is the key to equipping them to succeed in an environment of constant change. From modest beginnings scooping ice cream to becoming the first woman to lead KPMG’s deal advisory and strategy group, a team of 2,300, Carole brings a wealth of experience and expertise to both her role and the conv...

On our inaugural AIIRWaves Podcast, AIIR Heads Thom Fox and Stephanie Thomas welcome Gigi Gilliard for an insightful conversation about inclusive leadership, and how to get it right. As Gigi shares, her Ikigai [or sense of purpose] is helping to create belonging, and that is what she has been doing in her work as a trainer and executive coach. Gigi’s firsthand experiences with bias and discrimination shaped her approach to DEI and have guided organizations to embrace inclusive leadership. We discuss what exactly makes an inclusive leader, how to become one, and the benefits this approach brings to te...