Do Good To Lead Well with Craig Dowden

In this spirited episode, the challenges and paradoxes of modern leadership are brought to the forefront, grounded in the world of philanthropy. My guest this week, Glen Galaich, author of the provocative book Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short and CEO of the Stupski Foundation, invites listeners to reconsider the myths surrounding control, generosity, and decision-making. He makes the compelling case about how organizational norms, incentives, and personal ego can unintentionally limit positive impact, even in the most purpose-driven organizations.

During out discussion, we reflect on tough questions: What’s the real difference between intentions and measurable outcomes? How do process, relationships, and results shape lasting change? Through first-hand stories and data, this episode reveals how well-meaning leaders too often mistake intention for impact and how letting go of control, building clear processes, and inviting feedback can dramatically enhance outcomes.

For executives, nonprofit leaders, and anyone invested in meaningful change, this episode offers actionable advice: embrace self-awareness, question inherited processes, and trust the people closest to the work. It’s a call to action for listeners to examine their own patterns and to move beyond good intentions to do good by leading well.

What You’ll Learn
- The importance of letting go of control for greater impact.
- Rethinking thoughtful giving.
- Process, results, relationships: The leadership triad.
- The temptation of control when doing good.
- The power of systems, incentives, and leadership norms.
- Lead with empathy across difference.
- The critical role of self-awareness: Feedback as a gift.

Podcast Timestamps
(00:00) – Welcome to the Show and Guest Introduction
(00:03:13) - The Motivation Behind "Control"
(00:10:00) - Control, Psychological Safety, and Power in Leadership
(00:14:29) - Process, Results, Relationships: The Leadership Triad
(00:17:38) - Misconceptions and Accountability in Leadership
(00:22:04) - The Temptation of Control When Doing Good
(00:30:02) - Leading with Empathy Across Differences
(00:34:14) - Systems, Incentives, and Leadership Norms
(00:38:16) - The Critical Role of Self-Awareness
(00:42:59) - Leading Through Uncertainty
(00:47:33) - Key Mindset Shifts: Moving from Intention to Impact

KEYWORDS
Positive Leadership, Philanthropy, Thoughtful Giving, Community Engagement, Control Mindset, Process in Organizations, Psychological Safety, Accountability, Feedback, Ego in Leadership, Power Dynamics, Self Awareness, Organizational Culture, Social Impact, Norms and Incentives, Empathy, Letting Go, Impact versus Intention, CEO Success

How do you bridge the divide between how leaders show up and what teams truly want? On this week’s episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I sit down with Allison Howell, CEO of Hogan Assessments, to discuss their Leadership Divide Global Report, which draws on the responses from 9,794 employees across 25 countries. The findings challenge the conventional myths about what makes a great leader, and why charisma and ambition are not enough.

Allison Howell pulls back the curtain on “emergent” versus “effective” leadership, sharing why the traits that get people promoted often undermine team success. We also dive into one of the other key findings; why the attributes executives display don’t match what employees crave, with nearly zero overlap. Critical leadership qualities such as cultivating trust, integrity, and humility, build both teams and organizations up, no matter the cultural context.

She also shares concrete examples of the most common derailers in Hogan’s research: behaviors that fast-track promotions but quietly undermine trust and morale. Allison also offers a candid look at strategic self-awareness, the value of global perspective, and practical ways any organization can move from bias to balanced judgment.

If you’re a leader, or an aspiring one, this episode delivers the research and real-world tactics you need to inspire true followership and foster organizational excellence in an era of rapid change.

What You’ll Learn
- The uncomfortable truth about reputation versus identity (and which one actually runs your career).
- Emergence versus effectiveness: why the leaders who get promoted aren't the ones teams need.
- Why your greatest strength can also become a derailer.
- The global trust crisis and the surprising place leaders are best positioned to rebuild it.
- Accountability: why employees are saying "you first."
- Personality is climate, behavior is weather; what that means for your ability to change.

Podcast Timestamps
(00:00) – What is Leadership?
(03:57) - Reputation Versus Identity in Leadership Assessment
(06:45) - The Leadership Divide: Key Findings and Surprises
(10:49) - Leadership Emergence vs. Leadership Effectiveness
(13:08) - Behaviors That Get Leaders Promoted (But Hurt Teams)
(20:20) - Closing the Leadership Gap: Individual and Organizational Solutions
(28:06) - Balancing Ambition, Confidence, and Humility
(34:59) - Can Leadership Skills Be Developed?
(38:10) - The Current Context of Leadership Expectations
(45:52) - Cultural Differences in Leadership Preferences

KEYWORDS
Positive Leadership, Hogan Assessments, Personality Assessment, Team Performance, Reputation vs Identity, Emergent Leadership, Leadership Gap, Charismatic Leadership, Strategic Self-Awareness, Leadership Development, Accountability, Integrity, Trust in Leadership, Communication Skills, Humility, Emotional Self-Regulation, Dark Side of Personality, 360 feedback, Global Leadership Trends, Data-Driven Selection, Cross-Cultural Leadership Differences, CEO Success

What does great leadership look like when AI is moving faster than most organizations can keep up? To answer this important question, I spoke with Joshua Gould, the CEO of thebigword, a global language technology and services company, where he helped grow the business from $6M to over $100M in revenue. In 2021 he sold the business to a large US based PE firm and continued on as CEO, where he has led a $20m technology investment into AI and automation.

This episode tackles the challenge of leading in an Ai-driven world, examining why level-headedness, prioritization, and empathy are more vital than ever. The discussion surfaces candid insights on how leaders can cut through tech-driven noise, return to first principles, and make decisions that truly serve their teams and customers.

During our conversation, Joshua shares real-world examples that bring the risks and rewards of AI adoption to life, from transforming pricing and market share strategies to reshaping entire job roles. Josh does not shy away from hard truths, exploring the necessity of honest conversations even when the answers are unpredictable or uncomfortable.

For leaders searching for actionable advice on how to steward organizational culture, empower employees, and future-proof their businesses, this episode offers a blueprint grounded in candor, resilience, and a commitment to doing good.

What You’ll Learn
- How to cultivate level-headedness amidst noise.
- Prioritize ruthlessly: It’s the antidote to overwhelm.
- Use technology to serve your values.
- Building a culture of adaptation and co-creation.
- Why the best leaders lean into transparency and courage, even when It’s scary.
- Empathy remains irreplaceable in an Ai-driven world.

Podcast Timestamps
(00:00) – Welcome to the Podcast
(03:10) - Essential Leadership Qualities in the Age of AI
(06:16) - Fundamentals Versus Hype: How to Make Sound Decisions
(10:27) – Effectively Leading Through AI Advancement
(12:39) - AI as a Pricing Weapon Rather Than a Productivity Tool
(19:20) - Navigating Job Impact and Workforce Concerns with AI
(24:09) - Courageous and Transparent Leadership in Disruption
(29:29) - Leading Culture Change Amidst AI Fear and Resistance
(34:38) - Grounding Adoption in Mission and Strategic Participation
(41:00) - Preserving Critical Thinking and Avoiding AI Overreliance
(48:03) - Empathy, Humanity, and Leadership in an AI Future

KEYWORDS
Positive Leadership, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology-Driven World, Level Headedness, Market Fundamentals, Fear-Based Decision Making, Prioritization, First Principles, Job Disruption, Upskilling, Employee Anxiety, Courageous Leadership, Transparency, Culture Change, AI adoption, Empathy, Critical Thinking, Executive Decision-Making, Value Creation, CEO Success

This week on the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I sit down with bestselling author Eric Ries for a timely and thought-provoking conversation about leadership, mission, and the growing crisis of short-term thinking in business.

Eric first transformed the entrepreneurial world with The Lean Startup. In his latest book, Incorruptible, he tackles a new challenge: why so many organizations lose sight of their purpose, compromise their values, and drift away from the very mission that made them successful in the first place.

Together, we explore why many traditional business “best practices” are no longer serving leaders, employees, or society — and what it takes to build organizations that can withstand the pressures of short-term performance, protect trust, and stay anchored in their values over time.

Through powerful stories, real-world examples, and surprising data, listeners learn how organizations can defend their mission, outlast competitors, and resist the economic “gravity” that pulls so many companies into compromise. From redefining profit as human flourishing to making trust and love into competitive advantages, the episode offers a blueprint for building companies that not only succeed financially, but endure.

Whether you’re a founder determined to preserve your mission, or an executive seeking to build a culture of integrity, this episode is packed with practical guidance and inspiration. Tune in to discover what it truly means to become an incorruptible force for the good of your business and the good of humanity.

What You’ll Learn
- The perils of “best practices.”
- Corruption isn’t just a crime – It’s losing your purpose.
- How the moral logic of capitalism has been lost.
- Redefining profit: Maximizing human flourishing.
- Mission (not money) makes companies endure.
- Trust and love are competitive advantages.
- Governance isn’t boring. It’s your organization’s DNA.
- Does growth kill mission? The risk is real. The reality does not have to be.
- You can build incorruptible companies: An evidence-based business case.

Podcast Timestamps
(00:00) - A Special Topic and Guest
(01:49) - From the Lean Start-up to Incorruptible
(04:07) - Defining and Diagnosing Corruption
(08:32) - The Moral Logic of Capitalism and Value Creation
(13:03) - Redefining Profit and Human Flourishing
(19:15) - Mission Drift and Protecting Organizational Purpose
(22:01) - Outliers: Exceptional Companies and New Best Practices
(25:29) - Financial Gravity, Longevity, and Employee Ownership
(30:00) - Trust as Organizational Currency
(34:23) - The Long Term Stock Exchange and Long-Termism
(35:20) - Love, People-First Leadership, and Real Competitive Advantage
(41:23) - Governance, Board Dynamics, and Creating Incorruptible Organizations
(44:46) - Lessons from Case Studies: Zita Cobb and Beyond
(49:16) - Closing Reflections and Practical Resources

KEYWORDS
Positive Leadership, Incorruptible, Integrity, Do Good to Lead Well, Long Term Thinking, Effective Governance, Market Reform, Lean Startup Method, Company Culture, Avoiding Short Term Thinking, Corruption, Capitalism, Value Creation, Shareholder Primacy, Business Ethics, Corporate Mission, Profit Redefinition, Human Flourishing, Stakeholder Alignment, Organizational Trust, Financial Gravity, Mission Controlled Companies, Organizational Character, CEO Success

On this week’s episode of Do Good to Lead Well, I am joined by Kevin Ford, the former CEO of Calian, whose track record as a transformational CEO sets the stage for a candid exploration of what really drives lasting personal and business success.

We start by asking the question: Are authenticity and transparency more critical than ever in the age of AI? Our answer is a resounding ‘yes.’ We continue the conversation by exploring how the ATP trifecta—authenticity, transparency, and positivity—became the defining factor behind Kevin’s award-winning tenure as CEO.

Our discussion moves beyond buzzwords, tackling real questions: How do you lead authentically even when you don’t have all the answers? How does transparency foster trust and spark breakthrough thinking? And why does a leader’s positive energy ripple through teams, especially in uncertain times?

Packed with fresh perspectives and memorable stories, this conversation is essential listening for leaders and aspiring leaders looking to create thriving, rather than surviving, cultures. If you want to future-proof your leadership, build high-trust organizations, and learn how positivity can become your secret competitive edge, listen in to learn the tools and strategies that bring the ATP model to life for you.

What You’ll Learn
- The Power of Authentic Leadership.
- Transparency as a Catalyst for Engagement.
- Positivity as the Secret Sauce.
- Building Trust in an Ai-Driven world.
- Embracing Vulnerability for Growth.
- Practical Ways to Become an ATP Leader.

Podcast Timestamps
(00:00) - Setting the Stage
(02:38) - Defining ATP: Authenticity, Transparency, Positivity
(03:13) - Personal Reflections on Legacy and Feedback
(04:19) - Maintaining Core Values Amidst Public Company Pressures
(05:16) - Exploring Authenticity: What It Means and Why It Matters
(08:57) - Trust as a Foundation: Authenticity and Transparency in Practice
(10:02) - Transparency: Challenges and Benefits for Modern Leaders
(11:18) - The Power of ‘Thinking Out Loud’
(14:16) - The Downside of Command-and-Control Leadership
(15:37) - Positivity as Secret Sauce: Leading Through Uncertainty
(16:58) - Controlling How You Show Up: Practical Positivity
(18:06) - Avoiding Negativity: Energy and Team Dynamics
(21:30) - Community Call-to-Action: Living and Leading ATP

KEYWORDS
Positive Leadership, Authenticity, Transparency, Positivity, Leading Through AI/Disruption, Business Growth, Engaged Culture, Acquisitions, Public Company, Building Trust, ‘Think Out Loud’ Sessions, Workplace Culture, Personal Reflection, Legacy, Growth Mindset, Reframing, Employee Feedback, Positive Mindset, Resilience, Human Connection, Psychological Safety, Self-Awareness, CEO Success