In this special mini-episode of Leading Up, host Kelly Schwarze highlights key takeaways from the Udemy Forward 2024 virtual event. This episode features advice from Paul Kent, the senior L&D manager at PepsiCo, about how best to leverage skills-based practices to boost employee performance, engagement, and retention. Paul also emphasizes the importance of developing core skills, the impact of setting on learning retention, and how AI and human intelligence can be paired for maximum...

In this special best-of episode of Leading Up with Udemy, Kelly Schwarze, senior digital marketing manager at Udemy, revisits powerful leadership lessons from the past seven seasons. Hear from former Charles Schwab CEO Dave Pottruck on the importance of humility and emotional intelligence when leading from the middle, Starbucks Head of Learning Brandon Carson on building a strong company culture through trust and continuous learning, and Merck CLO Johann Laville on why great leaders are...

Alan Todd sits down with Alan Murray, President of the Dow Jones Leadership Institute and former CEO of Fortune Magazine. Murray shares his journey from a young journalism enthusiast to a leader in the media industry, offering insights on adapting to technological disruption and the evolving role of business in society. He also discusses the challenges facing journalism today and the importance of integrity in leadership. Tune in to learn how to navigate change and lead with purpose in an...

Alan Todd speaks with Jessica Michaels, an award-winning speaker and expert in leadership development. After discovering in her thirties that she has autism and ADHD, Jessica became an advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace. She shares practical insights on how leaders can create more inclusive environments that unlock the potential of neurodivergent employees. With humor and directness, Jessica explains how embracing diverse ways of thinking can lead to more innovative and effective...

Alan Todd sits down with Hebba Youssef, creator of the popular HR newsletter I Hate It Here and Chief People Officer at Workweek. With over 130,000 subscribers, Heba's newsletter provides candid insights and advice for HR professionals looking to build workplaces that people love. In this conversation, Heba shares her human-centered approach to leadership, offering fresh perspectives on the future of work, building trust, and leading with empathy. Tune in for practical ideas on how to create...

Join Alan Todd as he sits down with Cynthia Pong, founder and CEO of Embrace Change, a firm dedicated to helping women of color achieve their career goals. Cynthia shares her innovative concept of "career insurance" — steps to ensure long-term career success. They discuss her transition from law to career coaching, strategies for career advancement for women of color, and overcoming systemic marginalization.  Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Alan Todd sits down with David Yeager, Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, and Stefani Okamoto, Director of Manager Excellence at ServiceNow. They discuss debunking negative stereotypes about Gen Z, introducing the mentor mindset in leadership, and exploring practical insights from David's book, 10 to 25. Learn how to foster growth, support potential, and apply cutting-edge developmental psychology to inspire emerging leaders. Learn more...

Alan Todd as he sits down with Sophie Riegel, a best-selling author, speaker, coach, and mental health advocate. Sophie shares her journey as a young mental health advocate, strategies for optimizing intergenerational relationships, tips for talking about mental health with young people, and how to offer, ask for, and accept help. They also discuss the impact of generational dynamics in the workplace and at home. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Join Alan Todd as he sits down with Sunny Bonnell, co-founder of the renowned branding agency Motto and co-author of "Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different." In this episode, Sunny shares key lessons from her book, strategies for balancing creativity and business, and the importance of visionary leadership. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Alan Todd sits down with Dr. Ann Schulte, a versatile executive with a career spanning communications, consulting, higher education, and work-based learning leadership. Dr. Schulte, former Chief Learning Officer at MasterCard and Procter & Gamble, now serves as an academic director at the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss leadership and development, strategic self-awareness, feedback receptiveness, and media literacy in the age of AI.  Learn more about Udemy Business at...

In the premiere episode of Leading Up’s seventh season, Alan Todd sits down with Charles Duhigg, the renowned journalist and author of Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Charles shares insights on how mastering the art of super communication can significantly enhance your life in numerous ways — whether at work, with friends, or with family. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

In our final episode of Leading Up’s sixth season, host Alan Todd passes the mic to Udemy CMO Genefa Murphy. Genefa’s conversation with Ian James, Managing Director of McLaren Electric Racing & Team Principal of NEOM McLaren Formula E & Extreme E Teams, centers around how leaders on and off the racetrack can use ideas from McLaren’s culture of excellence to improve their teams’ performance. Listeners will take away lessons from how a team can operate in a no-blame culture even while...

Stanley McChrystal, General (Ret), Chairman, and CEO of McChrystal Group, knows a lot about what it means to transform a group of ordinary people into a highly calibrated, responsive, and skilled team. The former commander of the US Joint Special Operations Command joins host Alan Todd to discuss the importance of skills training and how the principles of military leadership translate to the private sector.  Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Mark Edwards spent over 25 years as the chief music critic for London’s Sunday Times, so he knows how to capture an audience’s attention. And his new book, “Best Story Wins,” is all about using the ideas of storytelling to communicate better in business. He joins host Alan Todd to dig into what makes a good story, and what your favorite movie might have to teach you about getting ahead at work. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Starbucks VP of Learning, Leadership, and Cultural Experiences Brandon Carson has witnessed first-hand how different company cultures impact the way teams work together. From his work at major companies like Walmart, Delta, Home Depot, and now the Seattle-based coffee giant, Carson illustrates his own leadership philosophies of unlocking his team’s potential and coaching them to be their best selves. In the second half of the interview with Alan Todd, Carson shares his thoughts on how the...

Deb Tees, Director of Talent & Organizational Capability for Rotary and Mission Systems at Lockheed Martin, has taken a circuitous route to her current position: she has prioritized lateral moves and learning about the breadth of her organization and industry over simply climbing a corporate ladder. She joins Alan Todd to talk about what she’s learned, and how she’s handled culture and adapting to a hybrid workforce at Lockheed Martin. Learn more about Udemy Business...

Dr. Genefa Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer at Udemy, hasn’t always been a marketer: she spent time in academia and also worked in product. Her path has taken her through a variety of leadership and individual contributor roles, and she credits this varied experience as being crucial to her success.  In this conversation with Alan Todd, Genefa digs into her leadership principles and shares advice with her signature humor and authenticity. Learn more about Udemy Business at...

Dr. Roger L. Martin, named the world’s foremost management thinker by Thinkers50 in 2017, is one of the few leadership thinkers to successfully marry theory and practice in the field. He joined host Alan Todd to dig into the difference between having a plan and an integrated strategy, and how listeners can adopt the Playing to Win framework to make strategic decisions about their own careers. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Alan Todd sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Pfeffer of the Stanford Graduate School of Business to talk about one of the last remaining “dirty words” of business: power. From this rousing discussion of Pfeffer’s research and his latest book, 7 Rules of Power, listeners will learn the steps they can take immediately to develop their own ability to influence others at work and advance in their careers. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Dr. Barbara Kellerman is a Fellow and Founding Executive Director at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership, and she’s dedicated to the study of leadership — focusing on the good and the bad. Through her study of leadership on the world stage, Barbara has gleaned insights that can be used by leaders — and, crucially, followers — in the corporate sphere.  Through this interview, listeners will learn about the key tenets of good leadership, and why being a “follower” doesn’t...

In our first episode of Leading Up’s sixth season, Alan Todd sits down with Dr. Frances X. Frei of Harvard Business School. Frances’s new book with her wife and research partner Anne Morriss is called Move Fast and Fix Things, and she walks Alan through the steps every organization or team must take before they can realize explosive growth. Listeners will take away valuable lessons about building trust within an organization, and how to make sure you’re diagnosing the root of your business...