In this timely and compelling episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli welcomes back Rich Diviney, retired Navy SEAL Commander and bestselling author of The Attributes. This conversation focuses on Rich’s latest book, Mastering Uncertainty, and delivers insights highly relevant to leaders navigating today’s volatile, complex environment.

With more than 20 years of experience in the SEAL teams—including leading training within SEAL Team Six—Rich draws from intense operational settings to explain how high performers build the ability to stay composed, decisive, and effective when the plan breaks down. But this isn’t just about special forces. It’s a conversation about how CEOs and senior leaders can rewire how they think about pressure, performance, and leadership itself.

Rich introduces powerful concepts, including the brain’s need for Duration, Pathway, and Outcome (DPO) to maintain composure in chaos. He breaks down how stress affects decision-making, why “calm is contagious,” and how great teams shift leadership dynamically to the person best positioned to lead in the moment. These lessons are deeply human and directly applicable to organizational leadership.

This episode goes beyond resilience into practical training for leaders who want to move through uncertainty with clarity and help their teams do the same. Whether you're leading a fast-scaling business, a mission-driven nonprofit, or a complex enterprise under stress, this conversation offers actionable perspective and tools for performing when nothing goes as planned.

Actionable Takeaways

• Hear how Rich Diviney defines mastery of uncertainty—and why it starts with managing your own physiological stress response.
  
  
  
• Learn how elite performers prepare for unpredictable environments and why your team can develop that same capability.
  
  
  
• Discover why the brain’s search for Duration, Pathway, and Outcome is the key to clarity in moments of stress.
  
  
  
• Explore the concept of dynamic subordination and how the best teams allow leadership to shift based on proximity to the problem.
  
  
  
• Understand the limits of traditional planning—and why too much planning can become a form of leadership paralysis.
  
  
  
• Gain perspective on why attempts to control more tightly often erode trust, especially in high-stakes or ambiguous situations.
  
  
  
• Examine how the identities leaders carry—consciously or not—shape how they respond under pressure.
  
  
  
• Learn why building trust requires more than competence and consistency—and how character and compassion complete the equation.
  
  
  
• Find out how focusing your team on smaller, achievable horizons (instead of long-range uncertainty) improves decision-making and morale.
  
  
  
• Get practical strategies for applying these tools immediately—both in your own leadership and across your team.
  
  
  

Connect with Rich Diviney

The Attributes Website

Rich Diviney LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

In this compelling episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mark Schaefer returns to share fresh, provocative insights from his latest book, Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World. A globally respected marketing strategist, bestselling author, and deep observer of technological change, Schaefer brings sharp clarity to a pressing leadership question: what does it take to stay relevant when artificial intelligence makes intelligence itself abundant?

Rather than offering a simplistic take on AI, Schaefer challenges leaders to confront a more nuanced truth: AI doesn’t just change how we work—it redefines where we create value. In a world where intelligence is cheap and accessible to everyone, he argues, leaders must shift their organizations from knowledge accumulation to human differentiation.

The conversation dives into what “out-humaning” AI actually looks like. From designing moments of awe to fostering fearless creativity, Schaefer offers examples and frameworks that push beyond theory. He connects storytelling, community-building, and emotional resonance not just as marketing strategies—but as core leadership capabilities that machines can’t replicate.

This episode is a must-listen for CEOs, board members, and senior executives grappling with the implications of AI. It’s not about resisting the future—it’s about recognizing what only humans can do, and leading teams to do it with more clarity, urgency, and creativity than ever before.

Actionable Takeaways

• You'll learn why intelligence is no longer a competitive advantage—and what replaces it at the leadership level.
  
  
  
• Hear how to reframe your organizational structure and decision-making in a world where AI handles most of the “smart work.”
  
  
  
• Discover what Mark Schaefer means by “out-humaning AI” and why that’s now your most important leadership mandate.
  
  
  
• You'll learn why competence is no longer enough—and how leaders who rely on it alone risk irrelevance.
  
  
  
• Hear how to use awe, authenticity, and community as strategic tools to build trust and emotional engagement that AI can’t touch.
  
  
  
• You'll learn how to think about brand relevance and personal credibility when your audience knows AI could have written your content.
  
  
  
• Hear how to identify and overcome the fear that’s keeping your organization stuck in mediocrity.
  
  
  
• You'll learn what makes bold storytelling and immersive experience design the next frontier in business leadership.
  
  
• Hear how to embrace AI as a creative partner without outsourcing your strategic soul.
  
  

Connect with Mark Schaefer :

• Website: Businesses Grow
• Social Media: Twitter | LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Eduardo Briceño, author of The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action. In the discussion, Eduardo dives into the transformative power of a growth mindset and how we can apply it to unlock our potential. He shares how a crippling physical injury early in his career led him to Carol Dweck's pioneering work on a growth mindset. This proved life-changing for Eduardo, setting him on a path to teaching individuals, teams, and organizations how to break free of chronic stagnation. In the conversation, Eduardo Briceno explains the performance paradox, where focusing solely on performing without learning leads to poor results. He offers strategies for leaders to get their teams to embrace a growth mindset.

Some of the Growth Mindset Takeaways That Will Get You Thinking:

• Why integrating micro-learning into daily work trumps sporadic learning sessions.
• Learn how to distinguish positive stretch mistakes from dangerous high-stakes ones.
• How leaders can model a growth mindset openly to influence their teams.
• The role a culture alignment and tweaking existing systems plays in helping teams adopt a growth mindset.
• The type of accountability that matters for both learning and performing.

Connect with Eduardo Briceño

Eduardo Briceno Website

Eduardo Briceno LinkedIn

The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action on Amazon

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Jim Detert, John L. Colley Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and author of Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work. In this conversation, Jim Detert shares how we can become more courageous by developing our courage capabilities. Jim Detert also shares how leaders can nurture a psychologically safe organizational culture, enabling and encouraging more courageous interactions and decisions at work.

Some highlights:

-Why attributing courage just to historical figures can be counterproductive

-The importance of being more courageous and how to develop our courage muscle

-Jim Detert on the benefits of courage at work

-How leaders can create a psychologically safe environment that encourages team members to speak up and contribute their best at work

Mentioned:

-Amy Edmondson, Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School and author of Fearless Organization and Creating Psychological Safety

-Vanessa Bohns (Listen to Partnering Leadership conversation with Vanessa Bohns)

-Gary Bolles (Listen to Partnering Leadership conversation with Gary Bolles)

-Difficult Conversations by Bruce Patton, Douglas Stone, and Sheila Heen

-Radical Candor by Kim Scott

-Giving Voice to Values by Mary C. Gentile

-The Silent Language Of Leaders by Carol Goldman

Connect with Jim Detert:

Jim Detert Website

Choosing Courage on Amazon

Jim Detert on Facebook

Jim Detert on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Laura Hamill, organizational psychologist, startup co-founder, and author of The Power of Culture. Laura shares how her early experiences and leadership journey at Microsoft shaped her passion for understanding the hidden forces that drive organizational behavior and business outcomes.

Laura emphasizes that culture is not a branding exercise or an HR initiative — it is a core leadership responsibility and a strategic lever for success. She discusses the disconnect many organizations face between their stated values and the actual employee experience, warning of the costly "cultural betrayal" that can occur when leaders aren't intentional about culture.

Drawing from real-world examples, Laura outlines how power dynamics, leadership behavior, and systematic feedback are crucial to building a culture that truly supports business goals. Whether you're leading a global company or managing a key division, this conversation offers pragmatic strategies to turn culture from an abstract idea into a business advantage.

Actionable Takeaways

• Hear how Laura’s early life and career experiences built her deep expertise in organizational culture.
• Learn why executives — not just HR — must lead culture initiatives for real impact.
• Find out how to avoid "cultural betrayal" and strengthen employee trust.
• Discover why behavior modeling, not slogans, is essential to culture change.
• Learn simple ways to assess culture health in your teams without massive initiatives.
• Understand how hybrid work is reshaping how leaders must communicate culture.

Connect with the Guest

• Website: Paris Phoenix Group
• LinkedIn: Laura Hamill
• Book: The Power of Culture available on Amazon

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

What does it take to build something that lasts—not just for years, but across generations? In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Alfredo De Massis, a globally recognized expert on family enterprise and author of The Family Business Book: A Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Families to Prosper Across Generations. As one of the most cited scholars in the field and a trusted advisor to multi-generational family businesses around the world, De Massis offers a rare combination of academic rigor and real-world relevance.

But don’t expect a conversation limited to family-owned companies. This episode is about how all leaders—especially those responsible for long-term value—can rethink legacy, leadership, and innovation. De Massis argues that great leaders don’t just pass down businesses; they design systems that outlast them. From ownership mindsets to innovation strategy and governance architecture, the conversation provides a blueprint for building organizations that remain relevant and resilient across time.

A central theme of the discussion is the distinction between succession planning and legacy design. De Massis challenges the outdated belief that continuity depends on finding the next version of the current leader. Instead, he introduces the concept of the "family galaxy"—a flexible, multi-entity model that allows different generations to thrive in different ways, based on their talents and motivations. He also breaks down the three layers of governance essential for long-term success: business governance, family governance, and the often-overlooked interface between them.

For CEOs, board members, and senior executives thinking beyond quarterly results, this conversation delivers both intellectual depth and actionable insight. It’s a masterclass in how to lead with intention—not just for today, but for the future you won’t be around to control.

Actionable Takeaways

• You’ll learn why the best leaders don’t plan succession—they design systems for continued relevance.
  
  
  
• Hear how to reframe ownership as a responsibility to be developed, not a status to be inherited.
  
  
  
• Explore the “family galaxy” model—and how to structure a system where multiple generations can create value.
  
  
  
• Understand how great organizations govern at three levels—and why ignoring the “interface” layer can derail everything.
  
  
  
• Discover why tradition can be a strategic asset when leaders know how to reinterpret—not resist—it.
  
  
  
• Learn how emotional dynamics influence strategic decisions in family and legacy enterprises.
  
  
  
• Find out why leadership earned through credibility—not entitlement—is key to generational success.
  
  
  
• Get practical insights into how to align governance, ownership, and innovation around shared purpose.
  
  
  
• Take away powerful questions to evaluate whether your legacy is built to evolve—or simply to endure.
  
  
  

Connect with Alfredo De Massis

Alfredo De Massis LinkedIn

Alfredo De Massis IMD

The Family Business Book

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

What if the greatest risk to your organization isn't economic uncertainty, market volatility, or disruptive technology—but the decisions being made in your own boardroom?

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Didier Cossin, IMD professor and global expert in board governance, whose book High Performance Boards has become a must-read for senior leaders looking to elevate board effectiveness. Drawing from decades of research, real-world consulting, and cross-disciplinary experience—including economics, risk management, and even poetry—Cossin brings a powerful lens to what leadership at the top should really look like.

Cossin argues that governance has been misunderstood by many organizations as a compliance function, rather than what it truly is: a system that shapes the quality of executive decisions. He challenges CEOs and board members to rethink how they engage with one another, what information they rely on, and who actually owns governance performance. The result is a compelling case for boards as enablers of transformation—not just overseers of risk.

Throughout the conversation, Cossin shares examples and frameworks that translate theory into practice. He offers clarity on how boards can evolve to meet the complexity of today’s environment while helping CEOs make better, faster, and more strategic decisions. From the role of the chair to the structure of board packs to the power of informal intelligence, every element of this conversation is designed to elevate how boards contribute to long-term success.

If you are a CEO, board member, or executive leader committed to high-performance leadership and long-term impact, this episode offers both insight and challenge to help you lead more effectively—starting at the top.

Actionable Takeaways

• Hear how Didier Cossin reframes governance as a driver of decision quality—not just risk oversight or compliance.
  
  
  
• Learn why the chair, not the CEO, is ultimately responsible for board performance—and why that distinction matters.
  
  
  
• Discover how most boards are overwhelmed with information but still lack the intelligence needed for high-quality decisions.
  
  
  
• Understand the four levers of board performance—people, information, structure, and culture—and how each one shapes outcomes.
  
  
  
• Explore how the CEO-chair relationship must be intentionally designed, not assumed, for true alignment and accountability.
  
  
  
• Find out why board materials should be curated like an executive dashboard—and how overstuffed board books hinder strategic conversations.
  
  
  
• Learn how boards should evolve from approving strategy to actively shaping it—especially in complex and fast-moving environments.
  
  
  
• Reflect on how strong governance creates the organizational capacity to adapt, lead, and perform over the long term.
  
  
  

Connect with Didier Cossin

Didier Cossin at IMD

Didier Cossin LinkedIn

High Performance Boards

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Greg Bennick, keynote speaker, humanitarian, and author of Reclaim the Moment: Seven Strategies to Build a Better Now. Greg shares how his upbringing in a small Connecticut town with nontraditional parents helped shape his views on purpose, disruption, and transformation. Through vivid personal stories—including a near-death experience involving a truck crashing into a bookstore—Greg explores the chaos of modern life, the influence of technology, and the power of reclaiming presence and humanity.

Together, Mahan and Greg dive deep into themes of self-awareness, leadership, kindness, and the role of meaningful relationships in navigating an increasingly noisy and fast-paced world. With humor and humility, Greg invites listeners to rethink success, stay grounded, and embrace possibility—both in life and leadership.

Highlights from the Conversation

• Why noise and chaos dominate our lives—and who benefits from it
• How modern technology hijacks our attention and focus
• Reclaiming the now in a world driven by spectacle and distraction
• The near-death bookstore experience that led Greg to rediscover purpose
• Believing in the possibility of kindness to escape the trap of pessimism
• Why leaders must stop assuming the worst and start cultivating trust
• The importance of emotional buy-in and meaningful work connections
• Reverberation vs. ripple effect in leadership and idea-sharing
• Critique of traditional self-help and Greg’s human-first philosophy
• Daily practices that help Greg stay authentic and focused
• The role of relationships in countering isolation and building purpose
• Asking whether we are using technology—or being used by it

Connect with Greg Bennick:

Greg Bennick on LinkedIn

Greg Bennick's Official Website

"Reclaim the Moment: Seven Strategies to Build a Better Now"

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website