Podcasts provide hands free enrichment in today’s crazy, distracted, on-the-go world. While you’re walking the dog, cooking or commuting, turn downtime into opportunity. When you dive into podcasts geared towards business, science and psychology you’ll elevate your leadership through exploring different perspectives. Listening in on these conversations can feel like having coffee with a group of brilliant business experts. However, not all podcasts are created equal. To strengthen your management skills and get truly inspired, here are the 7 best podcasts to make you a better leader:
HBR IdeaCast
Expert thinkers in business and management discuss the latest trends ideas and advice for leadership. In this podcast, you’ll find new and classic thoughts on strategy and innovation to help your team succeed in 20 minutes. Sarah Green Carmichael, executive editor at Harvard Business Review digs deep in her conversations with entrepreneurs, CEOs and successful professionals to get the best nuggets of wisdom from her guests. Episodes like “Ask Better Questions” and “Make Work Engaging Again” will take your leadership game to the next level.
How I Built This
Curious how entrepreneurs like Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard or LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman built their businesses from the ground up? NPR’s Guy Raz delves into the stories behind some of the world’s best-known companies. How I Built This weaves an engaging narrative about innovators and idealists to discover the story behind the movements they built in an hour or less. Guy has fun with his guests and ensures the unique personality of each shines through, making this podcast entertaining and informative.
TED Radio Hour
If you enjoy TED talks, this podcast is for you. A journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing invention and new ways to think and create will help you lead smarter. Based on TED talks from around the world, these stories will ensure you and your team are educated on new strategies and experiences in hour long episodes. From “Networks” to “Disruptive Leadership,” jump into in-depth episodes that will shape your knowledge on landscapes in business and beyond.
HiddenBrain
Improve your leadership skills based on science. In Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedanta uses “science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.” Through better understanding the “why” behind the world, we can better understand ourselves, our team and our organizations. Dive deep into psychological insights that can help your team thrive in episodes like “Getting Unstuck” and “Embrace the Chaos” to challenge your thinking and get ahead. Episodes run anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
Freakonomics Radio
Each week, Author Stephen J. Dubner discusses “things you always thought you knew (but didn’t), and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do).” From “The Economics of Sleep” to “How to Become Great at Just About Anything,” Dubner uncovers unique and insightful topics that offer valuable lessons personally and professionally in 30-45 minute episodes.
Planet Money
The best leaders stay up to date on what’s happening in the world and the economy. Planet Money explains the economic landscape through analyzing the latest trends and stories. Yet, while highly informative, Plant Money is also entertaining. This podcast is like discussing the economy with a close friend at happy hour- it dissects important issues in a lively way that will keep you engaged. Episodes like “LeBron James is Still Underpaid” and “When CEO Pay Exploded” offer valuable economic insights for you and your team.
- The Indicator: Pressed for time? For bite-sized economic indicators, check out this Planet Money spin-off. The episodes highlight one piece of information that was talked about in the news each week and dissect it in just 10 minutes.
What Great Bosses Know
Hosted by Jill Geiser, management, news media expert and teacher at Loyola University, What Great Bosses Know is packed with practical lessons for leaders in short-but-sweet 5-minute episodes. Gain tangible and constructive knowledge to fine tune your leadership skills and help your team implement new strategies. Geiger reveals how great leaders constantly learn, grow and connect to propel productivity and inspire others to perform their best. For example, in “10 Things Jill’s Learned Teaching Leadership,” she reveals key leadership lessons gained from mentoring aspiring leaders.
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