In this episode of Truth Works, Jessica Neal sits down with William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of the Vanderbloemen Search Group, pastor-turned-entrepreneur, and author of Next: Pastoral Succession That Works. William’s career is a rare intersection of ministry, business, and leadership. From serving as a pastor to building one of the most respected executive search firms for churches, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations, his journey offers timeless lessons on culture, calling...

In this episode of the Truth Works Podcast, host Jessica Neal welcomes Richard Ezekiel — a seasoned executive, strategist, and thought leader in the world of partnerships. Richard’s career spans venture-backed startups, Fortune 500 companies, and the broader innovation ecosystem. He has built and led transformative partnerships that drive growth, create customer value, and bring together organizations that otherwise might have remained siloed. Over the years, Richard has worked alongside icon...

On this solo episode of Truth Works, host Jessica Neal sits down with Eduardo Briceño, author of The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action and one of the world’s leading voices on growth mindset. From Caracas to Silicon Valley, VC to education, Eduardo unpacks how living in constant performance mode stalls progress—and how deliberately switching into the learning zone unlocks long-term excellence. We get tactical: redesigning meeting agendas so learning isn’t an ...

In this episode, Kweilin Ellingrud—Director at the McKinsey Global Institute and Senior Partner at McKinsey, breaks down the gender pay gap as a solvable, data-driven problem. We trace where inequity actually begins (the “broken rung” at first promotion), how it compounds through performance reviews and caregiving penalties, and why “it’s just choices” doesn’t hold up once you control for role and tenure. Kweilin shares the fixes leaders can implement this quarter: transparent pay bands...

In this episode of Truth Works, we sit down with Beth Steinberg, an organizational development and leadership expert with over 25 years of experience guiding companies through hypergrowth, IPOs, and acquisitions. As founder of Mensch Ventures and former People leader at Facebook, Sunrun, and BrightRoll, Beth has helped scale both startups and global enterprises by blending leadership coaching with people strategy and culture design. She shares lessons from steering talent systems under pressu...

In this episode of Truth Works, we welcome James Turk, author of The Giving Game. James is dedicated to helping organizations cultivate leaders who understand that generosity is not just a personal virtue, but a strategic advantage. He explains how effective leadership is built on trust, collaboration, and the ability to give more than you take. Drawing on his research and experiences, James shows how “the giving mindset” transforms cultures—turning teams into communities that thrive on share...

In this re-run episode of Truth Works, Nirav Tolia - co-founder and CEO of Nextdoor - shares an unfiltered look at the rollercoaster of startup leadership. From his early internet days at Yahoo to co-founding Nextdoor, Nirav reflects on the thrill of building something people love, the sting of being asked to step down, and the personal growth that came from failure. Now back at the helm, he discusses how he’s leading differently, the importance of culture, and why resilience matters more tha...

In this episode of Truth Works, hosts Jessica Neal and Bob Sutton sit down with Laszlo Bock, a trailblazer in the world of people analytics, and the former head of HR at Google. Laszlo shares his remarkable journey, including his time at Google and his transition into entrepreneurship. The conversation dives deep into the evolution of corporate culture, how data is transforming the way we hire, and the importance of challenging the status quo to create meaningful organizational change. ...

In this thought-provoking episode of Truth Works, organizational visionary Michele Zanini joins Jessica Neal and Bob Sutton to unpack the tyranny of bureaucracy and the bold promise of humanocracy. Co-author of the updated book Humanocracy, Michele explains why traditional management systems fail to inspire innovation, agility, or meaning—and how companies like Netflix, Roche, and even the U.S. Army are rewriting the rules. Together, they explore: Why companies become bureaucratic over timeTh...

Why do we instinctively add when the better answer might be less? In this episode of the Truth Works Podcast, we sit down with Leidy Klotz—behavioral scientist, engineer, and author of Subtract—to explore why subtraction is one of the most underused tools in problem-solving, design, and even life itself. From ancient architecture to modern innovation, Leidy unpacks the hidden bias that keeps us adding complexity instead of removing it. We dive into how this instinct shapes everything from per...

This week on Truth Works, we’re joined by guest Alison Fragale, award-winning professor and author of Likeable Badass. She brings sharp insight into leadership, power, and how women can thrive in high-stakes environments. Welcome to Truth Works. This month’s cohost is the brilliant Robert Sutton, back with fresh takes on workplace dynamics! Chapters in this podcast 1. Introduction to Casual Conversations 2. Exploring Academic Journeys 3. The Importance of Status in Profession...

In this episode of Truth Works, Jessica Neal and Patty McCord break down the power, pitfalls, and practices of candid feedback—from Netflix boardrooms to personal moments that stick for life. Discover how feedback (both good and bad) becomes the engine of trust, growth, and culture. This episode is a rerun but an important topic for us to keep in mind. Topics & Timestamps: [00:00] Opening story: a small act of appreciation[01:00] Welcome to Truth Works and theme intro[03:00] Production ...

This episode is a re-eun of a past episode. New episode upcoming this Monday. In this episode, Jessica Neal and Patty McCord welcome executive coach and bestselling author Charles Feltman, known for The Thin Book of Trust. They dive into the four essential “domains of trust” – clarity, compassion, reliability, and consistency – and unpack how these foundational behaviors create a culture where teams can truly thrive. Charles shares real-world insights on how transparency and open communicat...

This week Jessica is joined by Danaya Wilson, CEO of BetterCertify and author of Changemakers Wanted. They dive into Danaya's unconventional career journey, and the challenges of balancing motherhood with leadership. Together, they explore the need for workplace flexibility, cultural shifts around women’s roles, and community-driven solutions to support working parents. Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have...

Jessica talks with Dr. Margie Warrell about how fear holds us back, both in life and at work. They discuss her book The Courage Gap, the power of small brave steps, and what it really takes to lead with courage. Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share your stories and questions with our producers here. TruthWorks is hosted by Jessica Neal and Patty McCord. The show is edited, ...

Joining Jessica this week is Jeff LeBlanc, a leadership strategist and lecturer at Bentley University. Listen in as they dive into the misconceptions about the next generation, how self-advocacy is a skill we should all be developing and why clarity in communication can help us all thrive. Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share your stories and questions with our producers h...

On the show this week is former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, Duncan Wardle. Join him and Jess as they dive into the importance of embedding a culture of innovation within organizations, the barriers that stifle creativity, and the tools he developed to make innovation accessible to everyone. Find out more about Duncan, and his toolkit, here. Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a...

For Mental Health Awareness Month, we thought we’d reshare an episode from last year- Join hosts Patty McCord and Jessica Neal as they welcome co-founder of Bonobos Inc. Andy Dunn. Andy, a thought leader in entrepreneurship and mental health advocacy. Listen in as he shares insights from his journey and personal experiences as a CEO with bipolar disorder. Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a ...

Join Patty and Jess for this special live episode with our friends at Accel at their 2025 People Summit. Hosted by Accel's Talent Partner Pete Clarke, this episode dives into how the Netflix Culture Deck came to be, lessons from their career, and what they still lose sleep over. Check out the episode with Iris Bohnet mentioned here. Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share yo...

How do you get that promotion? Is it better to jump ship or expect loyalty to be rewarded? There isn’t a set route when it comes to career paths. Join Jessica and Patty as they answer your questions about promotions, moving up and down the career ladder, and more! Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share your stories and questions with our producers here. TruthWorks is hosted ...