General Electric was once America’s most admired company. Today, it stands as a cautionary tale. In this episode, I’m joined by William Cohan, bestselling author of Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of General Electric, which was praised as “monumental” by The Economist and “a tour de force” by the Financial Times. We explore GE’s dominance in its heyday, Jack Welch’s rise and legacy, the company’s decline under Jeff Immelt, and enduring lessons for today’s leaders.
Who was Plato?
Why are we still talking about him over two-thousand years after his death?
What warnings did he give us about the vulnerabilities of democracy?
What impact do individuals' values have on a democracy?
And, in short, why does Plato matter now?
In this episode, Angie Hobbs, Professor emerita of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield and author of the new book Why Plato Matters Now, answers these questions and more.
Nietzsche's declaration that "God is dead" in The Gay Science was more tragic than triumphal. The philosopher was acutely aware of the existential vacuum that would be created by the decline of religion in the west and sought to find a solution. His solution came in the form of what he called the superman (übermensch) who would create new values to replace the old law tables of Judeo-Christian religion.
In this episode, Dr Martin Ruehl of Cambridge University returns to discuss the meaning of Nietzsche's superman in both theory and practice, looking at Nietzsche's work through the prism of history, ideology, and religion.
In this episode, psycho-linguistic expert and UK Managing Director of Inspirational Group, Felicity Wingrove, talks through some of the fundamentals of how to be understood how you intend to be understood for better personal and business outcomes.
Do you want to improve your communication skills to be better understood?
If so, this episode is for you.
In this episode, Erica Benner, author of Be Like the Fox: Machiavelli’s Lifelong Quest for Freedom, discusses the ways in which Niccolò Machiavelli's magnum opus, The Prince, has been misunderstood and misrepresented in popular culture, as well as Machiavelli's real thoughts on power.
What is the Bible?
Who decided which books would be included within it?
How can we make sense of it and its various paradoxes?
How is the Bible seen, and applied, in different parts of the world?
How did the Bible gain its cultural significance while being such a difficult book?
What have we lost in the west from the Bible’s loss of cultural prominence?
Which version of the Bible should you read?
How is the Bible adapting in the digital age?
In this episode, Professor Bruce Gordon of Yale's Divinity School addresses these questions and more.
(Episode recorded on 6th November 2024.)
Donald Trump’s election victory in 2024 raised significant questions about America’s role in the world, not least concerning the defence of Ukraine against belligerent Russia. Traditional European allies are alarmed at the prospect of America turning its back on them, while traditional enemies celebrate the end of globalism through Trump 2.0. Could the idea of a multipolar world appeal to both MAGA America and the enemies of the west? How might key players in and around the Trump administration influence America’s role in the world going forward? To discuss these questions and more, Dr Benjamin R. Teitelbaum returns to the Real Clear Values podcast to share his insights.
(Episode recorded: 12th March 2025.)
In Danny Mitchell's second appearance on the Real Clear Values podcast, we focus on role models in both fighting and family. And we get into all sorts besides that, including Michael Bisping's aristocratic family history, PED using MMA fighters, and cleaning gravestones in Doncaster.(Episode recorded: 4th November 2024.)
Simon Fagg, Founder of With Leadership, brings deep expertise in purposeful leadership and organisational values. In this episode, we dive into the core values of With Leadership, their real-world impact, and how to drive meaningful, lasting organisational change.
Professor Malcolm Gaskill’s book, The Ruin of all Witches: Life and Death in the New World, has received high praise from many quarters.
It is a tragic tale of the struggles of life in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1651, speaking to neighbourhood rivalries, social and political power structures, early modern gender roles, and what it meant to be accused of witchcraft in the New World.
In this episode we discuss all of these themes and more, exploring how Malcolm adeptly explains the past without explaining it away and finding a simple but powerful moral to the story that can be applied in any era.
(Episode originally released on 2nd February 2023.)
Peter Williamson's biography of Benito Mussolini is a valuable and insightful contribution to scholarship on the Italian dictator.
In this episode, I talk to Peter about the development of Mussolini's philosophy and political ideology, his approach to governance and leadership, and the factors that led to his undoing.
This episode is an excellent complement to previous episodes on Mussolini featuring Professors Richard Bosworth and John Foot respectively. And it holds powerful lessons for those in positions of leadership, as well as those in pursuit of power.
Peter's biography of Mussolini is called Duce: The Contradictions of Power and was published by Hurst Publishers in April 2023.
Have you ever felt like you're an imposter? Like you're not good enough to do what you're doing and you're a whisker away from being found out? If so, this episode is for you, as Gary Frey discusses his book Silence the Imposter: 7 Weapons to Silence Imposter Syndrome. We dig into why Gary wrote the book, his personal journey in silencing the imposter, and some valuable principles and practices that anyone can use to silence the bully that is imposter syndrome.
The fascist's rise to power in Italy was brutally violent, but it was also organised and strategic. In this episode, Professor John Foot of University of Bristol, and author of Blood and Power, tells the story of how the Italian fascists, with Mussolini at the helm, were able to seize power through organised political violence. And he also tells the story of Mussolini's ignominious demise.
Having fought in the UFC and Bellator, Danny Mitchell is a highly experienced fighter, MMA coach and gym owner. He's also a man of faith. In this episode, we discuss Danny's fighting and faith journeys, the parallels between the two, and some key principles to live by to avoid a fall.
Everyone's heard of Sigmund Freud, but how many are familiar with the origins of Freud's work in psychoanalysis? Professor Seamus O'Mahony explores this in his book, The Guru, the Bagman & the Sceptic: A Story of Science, Sex & Psychoanalysis. In this episode, we dig into the origins of Freud's thinking, the acolytes who promoted his work and a key sceptic, Wilfred Trotter, who had a notably contrasting approach to caring for his patients.
What role does education play in teaching young people values? Which values can benefit the individual and the whole? And how are those values be put into practice? Simon Day returns to the Real Clear Values podcast to discuss these questions and more.
Nick Shirley was living his best life as a YouTuber. Working hard, having fun and getting views. And then he decided to go on a mission for the LDS church. In this episode, Nick talks about his decision to serve a mission, his experience in the field, and his plans following his return.
Returning home from a mission can be more challenging than going on a mission, so I've created a mentoring programme to help RMs get set up for success to effectively govern their lives post-mission.
If you'd like to learn more then visit 3stewardships.com/rmsuccess.
