PODCASTS

Join Jim and some of the best podcast hosts in the medium who have led conversations that take deep dives into his ideas, his process, and what makes him tick.
FEATURED
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss   2/19/2019
Tim Ferriss and Jim have a wide-ranging conversation during which they dive deeply into key concepts such as the flywheel; fire bullets, then cannonballs; and Level 5 leadership. Tim also draws out more of Jim’s personal side, discovering "hands down the best decision" Jim has ever made, time-management tricks like "+2" days, and the story behind his "bug book."
LISTEN
FEATURED
The Knowledge Project
Shane Parrish   10/1/2019
Jim and Shane Parrish engage in a long-form conversation about Jim's research, covering key concepts such as Level 5 leadership; the flywheel; fire bullets, then cannonballs; and the five stages of decline—all in the context of The Map. This wide-ranging interview includes a look at what makes both Jim and great companies tick.
LISTEN
FEATURED
Dare to Lead
Brené Brown   12/14/2020
In this two-hour deep-dive conversation, Brené Brown and Jim discuss values, shadow values, curiosity, and The Map: thirty years of Jim's research baked into one comprehensive framework. Jim shares what he learned from Bill Lazier about mentorship, the trust wager, “butter on your waffles,” and more; and Brené thanks Jim for the generosity that is BE 2.0.
LISTEN
FEATURED
Wisdom from the Top
Guy Raz   10/12/2021
Guy Raz talks with Jim about many of his early career and personal-life decisions that led to a lifetime of teaching and asking questions. They also cover some of Jim's most enduring concepts such as Level 5 leadership, the Stockdale Paradox, and preserve the core/stimulate progress. Jim concludes by revealing the framework of his next big research project.
LISTEN
FEATURED
Recode Decode
Kara Swisher   5/17/2019
Kara Swisher and Jim talk in depth about entrepreneurship as a career path, the role of luck and innovation in success, and Level 5 leaders (including whether one can grow into becoming one).
LISTEN
FEATURED
Nonprofits are Messy (Part 1)
Joan Garry   7/18/2020
Joan Garry and Jim engage in a two-part conversation focused on social-sector leaders and organizations. Part 1 includes a deep dive into the Hedgehog Concept as applied to nonprofits and a reflection on the differences between charismatic leaders and charismatic causes.
LISTEN
FEATURED
The Learning Leader Show
Ryan Hawk   7/30/2017
In this conversation with Ryan Hawk, Jim reveals the challenging question posed by one of his great mentors, Bill Meehan, that led to his researching and writing Good to Great, and details the foundational day he spent with Peter Drucker. Jim also explains how he aims to address human questions, rather than business questions per se, through his work, and he offers the key piece of advice he has for young people.
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FEATURED
Below the Line
James Beshera   11/23/2021
James Beshera and Jim engage in a wide-ranging conversation delving into Jim's writing process, his unrelenting curiosity, and the idea of individual greatness. Jim shares his thoughts regarding how to ask great questions, and they delve into two concepts resulting from Jim’s research, the flywheel and return on luck.
LISTEN
FEATURED
Squiggly Careers
Sarah Ellis   1/18/2021
Sarah Ellis and Jim have a conversation about Jim's books Good to Great and BE 2.0, focusing on the flywheel and the Hedgehog Concept. Jim also reveals the ambiguity factor that successful entrepreneurs share.
LISTEN
FEATURED
The Leading Edge
Tom Stewart   6/16/2021
In this interview, Jim speaks with host and friend Tom Stewart, discussing Jim's book BE 2.0 and his relationship with co-author Bill Lazier. Jim shares the number-one metric for any organizational leader to track, and dispels the myth that founders cannot be enduring, great leaders. The two also touch upon the concept of the flywheel and the importance of extending victories over time.
LISTEN
FEATURED
What I Know (Part 1)
Christine Lagorio-Chafkin   1/25/2021
In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Jim talks with Christine Lagorio-Chafkin about the seed planted early on that spurred his decades of research into what makes great companies tick. Jim shares what he learned about the flywheel through working with Amazon, how “you never let go of your calendar,” and why leaders should focus less on the what and more on the who. Christine inquires into Jim’s irreversible leap, and he explains why choosing to take care of their people over focusing on career advancement is the most important decision leaders ever make.
LISTEN
FEATURED
The Business of Giving
Denver Frederick   7/15/2019
Denver Frederick and Jim discuss Good to Great and the Social Sectors—how the business principles he derived in Good to Great apply somewhat differently (and may be harder to apply) in the social sectors, what social-sector leaders have to teach business leaders, and how to build a flywheel.
LISTEN
 2:34:27
James Beshera
11/23/2021
James Beshera and Jim engage in a wide-ranging conversation delving into Jim's writing process, his unrelenting curiosity, and the idea of individual greatness. Jim shares his thoughts regarding how to ask great questions, and they delve into two concepts resulting from Jim’s research, the flywheel and return on luck.
 1:23:37
Guy Raz
10/12/2021
Guy Raz talks with Jim about many of his early career and personal-life decisions that led to a lifetime of teaching and asking questions. They also cover some of Jim's most enduring concepts such as Level 5 leadership, the Stockdale Paradox, and preserve the core/stimulate progress. Jim concludes by revealing the framework of his next big research project.
 1:23:40
Trey Lockerbie
8/21/2021
Trey Lockerbie and Jim explore many of Jim's research findings, including Level 5 leadership and the flywheel. They also explore Jim’s definition of greatness, and take a look at the role of innovation and luck in organizational success.
 0:50:38
Tom Stewart
6/16/2021
In this interview, Jim speaks with host and friend Tom Stewart, discussing Jim's book BE 2.0 and his relationship with co-author Bill Lazier. Jim shares the number-one metric for any organizational leader to track, and dispels the myth that founders cannot be enduring, great leaders. The two also touch upon the concept of the flywheel and the importance of extending victories over time.
 1:13:25
Shane Parrish
5/4/2021
Jim joins Shane Parrish for a genuine exchange about what makes a meaningful life. The two dig into the differences between transactions and relationships, and Jim’s decision to form a personal board of directors. Jim also defines 10X leaders, exposes the misconception that entrepreneurs are less risk adverse than those who do not take the entrepreneurial path, and delineates what makes for a great flywheel.
 0:52:57
Christine Lagorio-Chafkin
1/25/2021
In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Jim talks with Christine Lagorio-Chafkin about the seed planted early on that spurred his decades of research into what makes great companies tick. Jim shares what he learned about the flywheel through working with Amazon, how “you never let go of your calendar,” and why leaders should focus less on the what and more on the who. Christine inquires into Jim’s irreversible leap, and he explains why choosing to take care of their people over focusing on career advancement is the most important decision leaders ever make.
 0:40:50
Christine Lagorio-Chafkin
2/8/2021
In this interview, Jim joins Christine Lagorio-Chafkin for Part 2 of their conversation. They discuss the Stockdale Paradox and the principle of firing bullets, then cannonballs. Jim speaks about a time when he got it wrong and reveals timeless wisdom from his mentor and BE 2.0 co-author, the late Bill Lazier.
 1:02:36
Sarah Ellis
1/18/2021
Sarah Ellis and Jim have a conversation about Jim's books Good to Great and BE 2.0, focusing on the flywheel and the Hedgehog Concept. Jim also reveals the ambiguity factor that successful entrepreneurs share.
 0:09:59
Dan Schawbel
12/28/2020
In this interview hosted by Dan Schawbel, Jim discusses his book BE 2.0 as well as his co-author and mentor, the late Bill Lazier. Dan inquires about the principal elements of The Map and asks Jim what advice he would give to entrepreneurs struggling to survive the COVID crisis. Jim concludes by sharing the best piece of career advice he has encountered.
 0:48:08
Ryan Hawk
12/20/2020
In Part 1 of a two-part interview, Jim converses with Ryan Hawk about the importance of “who luck” and a chance class assignment with Bill Lazier at the helm that changed the trajectory of his life. The two explore the benefits of mentorship, the trust wager, meaning through relationships, and the importance of having values.
 0:53:47
Ryan Hawk
12/22/2020
In Part 2, Jim concludes his most recent conversation with Ryan Hawk, sharing his thoughts on leadership, the number-one metric for organizations to track, and the importance of taking care of one’s people rather than one’s career. They then dive into the findings from Jim's thirty years of research, including the Hedgehog Concept and sparkling mini-buses; and Jim reveals who gets his vote as the number-one entrepreneur of the decade.
 2:09:23
Brené Brown
12/14/2020
In this two-hour deep-dive conversation, Brené Brown and Jim discuss values, shadow values, curiosity, and The Map: thirty years of Jim's research baked into one comprehensive framework. Jim shares what he learned from Bill Lazier about mentorship, the trust wager, “butter on your waffles,” and more; and Brené thanks Jim for the generosity that is BE 2.0.
 2:46:25
Tim Ferriss
12/2/2020
Jim returns to The Tim Ferriss Show to explore ideas from BE 2.0 and talk about mentors who have advised him throughout his life, including Bill Lazier. Jim shares stories about historical leaders, purpose-driven organizations, and experiences company leaders have had when visiting his management lab; and also lets listeners in on his stop-doing list.
 1:23:55
Michael Costello
11/30/2020
In this conversation, Jim and Michael Costello focus on the Disciplined People and Disciplined Thought aspects of The Map. Jim talks about mentorship and the lessons he learned from Bill Lazier, and ideas in Jim’s book BE 2.0. This episode also includes their discussion of historical leaders John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, and George Washington.
 1:05:06
Dan Murray-Serter
11/30/2020
In this interview, Dan Murray-Serter and Jim discuss several of Jim's key concepts such as Level 5 leaders, “first who,” and the Stockdale Paradox as applied to small businesses and entrepreneurial startups. They also take a deeper look at corporate values and authenticity, and Jim shares some of his top learnings from mentor Bill Lazier.
 0:32:47
Joan Garry
7/18/2020
Joan Garry and Jim engage in a two-part conversation focused on social-sector leaders and organizations. Part 1 includes a deep dive into the Hedgehog Concept as applied to nonprofits and a reflection on the differences between charismatic leaders and charismatic causes.
 0:41:47
Joan Garry
8/15/2020
In a continuation of Joan Garry’s conversation with Jim, Part 2 covers several important takeaways from Great by Choice, including how to thrive in times of chaos, disruption, and turbulence.
 0:54:32
Chad Grills
6/16/2020
In this interview, Jim and Chad Grills talk about the foundation of Jim's management lab and explore the flywheel concept. They also delve into some key concepts from Great by Choice—the 20 Mile March; fire bullets, then cannonballs; productive paranoia; and return on luck. Jim shares examples from corporate history to illustrate how great companies don't become successful merely because of luck.
 1:07:21
Denver Frederick
7/15/2019
Denver Frederick and Jim discuss Good to Great and the Social Sectors—how the business principles he derived in Good to Great apply somewhat differently (and may be harder to apply) in the social sectors, what social-sector leaders have to teach business leaders, and how to build a flywheel.
 1:05:16
Kara Swisher
5/17/2019
Kara Swisher and Jim talk in depth about entrepreneurship as a career path, the role of luck and innovation in success, and Level 5 leaders (including whether one can grow into becoming one).
 2:23:29
Shane Parrish
10/1/2019
Jim and Shane Parrish engage in a long-form conversation about Jim's research, covering key concepts such as Level 5 leadership; the flywheel; fire bullets, then cannonballs; and the five stages of decline—all in the context of The Map. This wide-ranging interview includes a look at what makes both Jim and great companies tick.
 0:51:12
Bruce Daisley
3/17/2019
In addition to exploring the flywheel concept, Bruce Daisley and Jim plumb the idea of “first who”: even before an organization establishes a vision or strategy, it should get the right people on the bus and focus on unit-level leadership.
 0:18:58
Phillip Coggan
3/5/2019
Jim discusses the logic underlying the flywheel concept with Phillip Coggan, illustrating it in action at Amazon and Intel. He also explains how the flywheel serves more as an organizational principle than a business principle.
 2:24:41
Tim Ferriss
2/19/2019
Tim Ferriss and Jim have a wide-ranging conversation during which they dive deeply into key concepts such as the flywheel; fire bullets, then cannonballs; and Level 5 leadership. Tim also draws out more of Jim’s personal side, discovering "hands down the best decision" Jim has ever made, time-management tricks like "+2" days, and the story behind his "bug book."
 0:40:21
Richard Hsu
9/1/2018
Jim shares the story of his career path with host Richard Hsu, including how he literally stumbled onto his mission, and the inspiration for writing Built to Last. They also discuss Jim’s research methods and the book’s surprise success.
 1:09:59
Ryan Hawk
7/30/2017
In this conversation with Ryan Hawk, Jim reveals the challenging question posed by one of his great mentors, Bill Meehan, that led to his researching and writing Good to Great, and details the foundational day he spent with Peter Drucker. Jim also explains how he aims to address human questions, rather than business questions per se, through his work, and he offers the key piece of advice he has for young people.
 0:39:10
Ken Coleman
1/17/2016
Ken Coleman and Jim discuss the studies and findings that are encapsulated in Jim’s books Built to Last, Good to Great, How the Mighty Fall, and Great by Choice. Jim also relates the story behind the question that has guided his past thirty years of research: what makes great companies tick?