Advertise on podcast: The Experimental Leader

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Are you a business owner, executive, leader, team leader, aspiring future leader, leadership junkie, a scientist, a design thinker, or simply the leader of your own life? If you are, then you are a leader, and as such, you should be experimenting! Welcome to The Experimental Leader, a podcast where we tackle the ways leaders are experimenting in their own work. Hosted by Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford, we dive into the most interesting questions about leaders and get into real-life conversations about how people might be experimenting with their leadership. What they are trying? How they are leading and managing their flow of work and throughput? How are they managing bottlenecks, mission, vision, strategic, operational, and tactical intents? How do they organize experiments? How do they succeed? How do they fail? How do they collect data? The loneliness of leadership can be overwhelming, especially when a leader gets promoted and doesn’t have a roadmap for how to lead. They might feel like they are supposed to have the answers, and yet they have to figure out what that really means. The hardest part can be not having anyone to talk to about their leadership journey. Fear not. Let Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford be your guide to becoming the leader you were meant to be – an experimental leader! A public speaker, consultant, workshop leader, author, and Master Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation, from whom she received the Prism Award, Melanie is an expert in problem-solving, constraints management, operations, strategic hiring, and brand development. She has consulted and coached organizations ranging from a Fortune 50 company to IT start-ups receiving their first round of funding. Her individual clients include those in FAANG and other top global IT companies. Melanie is a Certified Professional Coactive Coach and, Organization and Relationship Systems Certified Coach, and a Theory of Constraints Certified Jonah. As an author, educator, and creator of The Experimental Leader program, Melanie shows people new ways of thinking about their leadership, informed by her understanding of the fast-paced ride of technology innovation. A professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, and Canada Research Chair in Social Perception. Dr. Mel Rutherford graduated from Yale University and earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Human Development from the University of California at Santa Barbara. A Fulbright Fellowship allowed Dr. Rutherford to study and collaborate with the well-known Simon Baron-Cohen in Cambridge, England. Dr. Rutherford also worked with Bruce Pennington and Sally Rogers at the University of Denver as a postdoctoral fellow. He now heads a dynamic research laboratory at McMaster University. Dr. Rutherford is well-known for research in the field of psychology and has been interviewed and quoted in The Globe and Mail, The London Times, The Chicago Times, CBC Radio, Quirks and Quarks, and The Discovery Channel, as well as many AP newspapers around the world. Get rid of the fear and doubt, and shift your leadership into something that works better. Every week, learn from top leaders about how they’re experimenting, how they’re leading, and how they’re doing the things that they do. Join us here on The Experimental Leader and step into leadership with confidence and the knowledge to start leading the experiment today!

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Check latest episodes from The Experimental Leader podcast

Accountability Starts Within with JD Johnson

2026/10/13

What if becoming a better leader starts with looking inward? In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford sit down with JD Johnson to explore personal accountability, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership. They discuss why understanding your values, motivations, and emotional triggers is essential to leading yourself and others effectively. JD shares her work on Accountable Leadership Intelligence and the importance of making emotional intelligence practical. The conversation also explores why high-performing employees often struggle when promoted into leadership, how setting boundaries supports authentic leadership, and how to use AI without losing your unique voice and judgment. In this episode, you'll discover: Why accountability starts with self-awareness.How emotional intelligence strengthens leadership.Why being a great individual contributor doesn't automatically make you a great leader.How to use AI while preserving your authenticity.Why taking responsibility for your own impact is essential to leading others. Continue your leadership journey! Explore Dr. Mel Rutherford's Leadership Blueprint course and access it for free using promo code ODYSSEY. Your leadership experiment: Before your next difficult conversation, ask yourself: What is my part in this situation, and what can I take responsibility for? Effective leadership starts within. Listen, reflect, and keep experimenting.

Skill Up: Communicating Through the Holidays

2026/10/02

In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how communication is a leadership skill we can continually develop to navigate different priorities, expectations, and responsibilities. From coordinating family holiday plans to managing workplace schedules and holiday coverage, clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings, reduce tension, and ensure everyone feels heard and included. Discover how collaborative planning, open conversations, and understanding what matters to others can transform the way we work together, celebrate together, and lead through the holiday season. Continue your leadership development with free access to the Leadership Blueprint course! Created by Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC, the Leadership Blueprint offers practical insights to help you grow as a leader. Use the code ODYSSEY to access the course for free at Leadership Blueprint. Because great leadership starts with how we communicate. Keep experimenting. Keep communicating. Keep leading.

Traps and Tricks: When to Ask, When to Decide

2026/09/24

When should a leader ask for input, and when is it better to simply make the decision? In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the trickier parts of leadership: knowing when collaboration is helpful and when asking for input can actually create confusion, frustration, or a false sense of shared decision-making. They unpack the difference between consulting, collaborating, and deciding, and why leaders need to understand their own decision-making authority before asking others for their opinions. If a leader already knows the decision is going forward, asking for input without being clear about what can actually change can erode trust. Melanie and Mel discuss when leaders should involve people who are directly affected by a decision, why routine or preference-based decisions rarely require broad consultation, and how hiring decisions can benefit from input from the people who will actually work with a candidate. They also explore how decision-making changes depending on the organizational context, from academic shared governance to startups and owner-led businesses. The takeaway? Before you ask, know what you are asking for, who needs to be involved, and what you are willing or able to change. Want to strengthen your leadership decision-making and build a clearer leadership practice? Explore the Leadership Blueprint and use promo code ODYSSEY for access. 👉 https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint Listen in and keep experimenting with how you lead.

Rethinking Age in the Workplace with Dan Pontefract

2026/09/08

What if one of the biggest untapped resources in today’s workplace isn’t technology, but experience? In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford sit down with leadership strategist and author Dan Pontefract to rethink age, experience, longevity, and the future of work. This conversation invites leaders to ask an important question: What could your organization gain if you stopped treating age as a limitation and started treating experience as an asset? 🎧 Listen now and keep experimenting with your leadership. Want to strengthen your leadership skills? Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint course using code ODYSSEY.

Skill Up: Leadership at the Dinner Table

2026/09/04

Leadership doesn’t stop when the meeting ends. Sometimes, it shows up around the dinner table. In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how leaders can intentionally shape informal gatherings, business dinners, and social events to create connection, inclusion, and meaningful conversation. From choosing the right seating arrangement to managing alcohol, guiding table etiquette, and making thoughtful introductions, seemingly small decisions can have a significant impact on how comfortable and included people feel. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Intentionally curate social and business gatherings.Use seating arrangements to encourage connection and conversation.Set clear expectations around alcohol and event structure.Navigate business etiquette in ways that support inclusion.Help people from different cultural, class, and social backgrounds feel more comfortable.Use meals and informal gatherings as opportunities for mentorship and leadership development. Because great hosting is more than good manners—it’s leadership in action. Listen now and Skill Up on how to lead beyond the boardroom. Get the Leadership Blueprint FREEWant to strengthen your leadership skills? Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint course from Experimental Leader Academy. Use code ODYSSEY at checkout to access the course for free: Get the Leadership Blueprint

Traps and Tricks: Turning Employee Exits into Cultural Wins

2026/08/27

What happens to your organizational culture when a valued employee leaves? In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the often-overlooked moments in leadership: how we handle employee departures. Even when an exit is complicated by frustration, conflict, or disappointment, the way leaders respond sends a powerful message to the people who remain. Mel and Melanie discuss why failing to acknowledge an employee’s contributions can become a cultural trap—and how thoughtful, authentic recognition can turn a departure into an opportunity to reinforce what your organization values. You’ll hear practical insights on how to: Recognize an employee’s contribution, even when the ending isn’t perfect.Understand what remaining employees are watching when someone leaves.Protect and strengthen organizational culture during times of transition.Separate gratitude for someone’s contribution from the circumstances of their departure.Support the idea that people can grow beyond an organization—and that this can be a sign of healthy leadership.A good goodbye isn’t just about the person who is leaving. It’s also about the people who stay and the culture you are continuing to build. Listen to this episode of The Experimental Leader and consider: What message does your organization send when someone walks out the door? Get the Leadership Blueprint FREE: Visit the Leadership Blueprint course and use code ODYSSEY at checkout to access it for free. Keep experimenting. Keep learning. Keep leading.

Digital Detox & Thoughtload with Liane Davey

2026/08/11

What if feeling overwhelmed isn’t really about your workload but your thought load? In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford sit down with leadership expert Liane Davey to explore the invisible mental and emotional demands that can leave leaders and teams feeling depleted, distracted, and overwhelmed. Liane introduces the concept of thought load, which goes beyond the traditional idea of workload. Thought load is created by the combination of rising cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and depleted energy reserves and it can quietly affect our performance, relationships, decision-making, and ability to engage in productive conflict. Liane shares her own experiment with a two-week digital and mental reset, including silent walks, coloring, and intentional periods of zero input. The goal isn’t to eliminate thoughts, but to create enough space for deeper processing, new connections, emotional regulation, and renewed energy. The conversation also explores how digital overstimulation, remote work, smartphones, and even AI can impact the way we think, connect, learn, and process information. Liane challenges us to consider whether our constant access to information is helping us think better or encouraging us to surrender some of the deeper cognitive work that makes us curious, creative, and thoughtful. You’ll also hear how high thought load can contribute to conflict debt, why workplaces may be missing opportunities for informal learning, and what leaders can do to make thought load more manageable and purposeful. In this episode, you’ll discover: What thought load is and why it matters for leadersThe connection between cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and energyHow digital overstimulation contributes to mental overloadPractical ways to create space for deeper thinking and processingWhy unresolved conflict can increase thought loadHow remote work has changed informal learning and connectionThe potential risks of relying too heavily on AIHow leaders can redirect thought load toward meaningful work, relationships, and contribution If you’ve ever felt busy without knowing exactly why you’re exhausted, this conversation offers a new way to understand what may be happening beneath the surface. Listen now and keep experimenting with your leadership. Bonus: Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint course using code ODYSSEY.

Skill Up: Hiring Beyond Your Bias

2026/08/07

Are you hiring people who truly fit the role or simply people who feel familiar? In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Mel Rutherford and Melanie Parish explore one of the most common leadership traps: hiring people who think, work, and lead just like you. While it may feel comfortable, it can limit innovation, collaboration, and long-term organizational success. Melanie shares how leaders can make more intentional hiring decisions by understanding personality preferences, using tools like DISC to define role requirements, and recognizing when bias may be influencing their choices. The conversation also explores how to navigate limited talent pools, when it's worth extending a search for the right candidate, and why developing skills is often easier than changing natural behavioral preferences. Whether you're hiring your first employee or building a high-performing leadership team, this episode offers practical insights to help you make better hiring decisions and create stronger, more balanced teams. In this episode, you'll learn: Why leaders naturally hire people who are similar to themselvesHow diverse personalities strengthen organizational performanceHow DISC can support smarter hiring decisionsWhat to do when the ideal candidate doesn't appearThe difference between developing skills and changing personality preferencesHow curiosity can help reduce unconscious hiring bias Listen now and start experimenting with hiring practices that build stronger teams, better collaboration, and lasting leadership success. Ready to grow your leadership skills? Get the Leadership Blueprint course FREE by using the code odyssey at checkout. It's a practical resource designed to help you lead with greater confidence, clarity, and impact.

Traps and Tricks: Vision vs. Volume

2026/07/30

What happens when everything is a priority? In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the most common leadership traps: creating urgency without providing clarity. When leaders assign too much work without clear priorities, employees are left to sort through competing demands, often leading to stress, rework, and reduced productivity. Melanie shares practical strategies for shifting from constant firefighting to intentional leadership, including collaborative prioritization, better communication, regular check-ins, and empowering teams to manage execution while leaders focus on vision. Whether you lead a team of two or two hundred, this conversation will help you reduce overwhelm, build trust, and create a healthier, more effective way of working. In this episode, you'll learn: Why making everything "urgent" slows teams downHow shared prioritization improves performanceThe value of frequent check-ins and early feedbackWhy leaders should focus on vision while teams manage executionHow AI may increase urgency—and what leaders can do about it Ready to strengthen your leadership skills? Get The Leadership Blueprint course FREE with the code ODYSSEY. https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint

The Hidden Cost of Unclear Expectations with Georgia Thomas

2026/07/14

Unclear expectations can quietly undermine even the strongest teams. Miscommunication, frustration, reduced accountability, and stalled growth often stem from one overlooked leadership challenge: a lack of clarity. In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish, MCC, and Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC, welcome Georgia Thomas, former corporate lawyer, entrepreneur, and multi-business founder, to explore how leaders can build healthier, high-performing organizations by creating clear expectations from the start. Georgia shares the framework she uses to help founders transition from overwhelmed operators to intentional CEOs. Through her practical Expectations Document, she demonstrates how defining roles, responsibilities, success measures, and core values creates alignment, strengthens communication, and empowers teams to perform at their best. The conversation also explores why supporting a leader's vision matters, how learning to say no is an essential leadership skill, and why leadership is an ongoing experiment in creating clarity and trust. In this episode, you'll discover: • The hidden costs of unclear expectations in leadership and business • How to align teams around shared goals and company values • A simple framework for improving accountability and communication • Why every leader should define success before measuring performance • How founders can build sustainable businesses through intentional leadership • The role of two-way communication in creating high-performing teams • Practical strategies for reducing confusion and increasing team alignment Whether you're a business owner, executive, people leader, entrepreneur, or coach, this episode offers actionable leadership insights that will help your team communicate more effectively, work with greater confidence, and stay aligned around a shared vision. Free Leadership Resource Continue developing your leadership skills with The Leadership Blueprint from The Experimental Leader Academy. 🎁 Use code: odyssey to get FREE access to the course! https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Experimental Leader Podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and share this conversation with a leader who wants to build a culture of clarity, accountability, and trust.

Traps and Tricks: From Breakdown to Breakthrough

2026/06/30

What if your biggest leadership challenge becomes your greatest opportunity? In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore how unexpected setbacks can become "lucky disasters" when leaders approach them with curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to adapt. Through personal stories—including an ice storm that sent a tree crashing into a swimming pool and a cross-country camping trip interrupted by a broken axle—they reveal practical lessons for navigating uncertainty without losing momentum. Discover why effective leaders prepare for the unexpected, avoid operating at maximum capacity, and create organizations that can respond with confidence instead of panic. Learn how strategic thinking, teamwork, and a resilient mindset transform breakdowns into breakthroughs that strengthen both leaders and their teams. Whether you're leading an organization, managing a team, or developing your own leadership skills, this conversation offers practical insights for navigating change, overcoming setbacks, and building a culture that thrives under pressure. In this episode, you'll learn: • How to turn unexpected challenges into leadership opportunities • Why resilience is one of the most important leadership skills • The power of curiosity during organizational crises • How to prepare your team before disaster strikes • Practical strategies for leading through uncertainty and change 🎁 Special Offer for Listeners: Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Enroll in the Leadership Blueprint course and use the code ODYSSEY at checkout for free access. Learn more at: https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Experimental Leader Podcast, leave a review, and share it with a leader who is ready to turn life's inevitable breakdowns into meaningful breakthroughs.

Leading on the Glass Cliff with Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC

2026/06/16

In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish speaks with Dr. Mel Rutherford about leading through crisis, identity, and organizational transformation, drawing from his book The Glass Cliff: One Trans Man’s Leadership Odyssey. The conversation explores the “glass cliff” phenomenon, where leaders from marginalized groups are often placed into high-risk leadership roles during periods of instability. Dr. Rutherford shares lived experience from stepping into a department chair role during a crisis and reflects on how leadership is shaped under pressure. Together, they examine how effective leadership is built through slowing down, listening deeply, and aligning decisions with shared values. The discussion highlights consensus-driven leadership, compassionate accountability, and practical approaches for navigating uncertainty with clarity and integrity. Key themes include crisis leadership, values-based decision-making, trust-building, and leading complex teams through change while staying grounded in purpose and people. Dr. Rutherford’s book is available here: http://experimentalleader.com/melrutherford Catch his book tour here: https://www.melanieparish.com/events/ Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint using the code "ODYSSEY": https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint This episode offers a grounded exploration of leadership under pressure and invites listeners to rethink how leaders are selected, supported, and sustained in times of uncertainty.

Traps and Tricks: Criticism & Emotions

2026/06/04

In this episode of Traps and Tricks, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore two leadership challenges that often go hand in hand: criticism and emotions. Why do leaders become defensive when receiving feedback? What happens when emotions are ignored in the workplace? And how can leaders respond with empathy while still maintaining accountability? Melanie and Mel discuss how criticism can be valuable information, the impact of emotional awareness on team performance, and practical ways leaders can build stronger relationships through curiosity, compassion, and better communication. Free Leadership Blueprint Course Use code ODYSSEY for free access: www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint The Experimental Leader Podcast delivers practical leadership insights, coaching strategies, and real-world conversations to help leaders thrive.

Skill Up: Developing People

2026/05/27

Welcome to Skill Up, the newest segment of The Experimental Leader Podcast, where Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford break down practical leadership skills that help leaders grow, develop teams, and create lasting impact. In this episode, Skill Up: Developing People, Melanie and Mel explore why employee development is one of the most powerful tools in leadership today. They discuss how strong leaders create opportunities for growth, mentor emerging talent, and build workplace cultures where people feel supported, challenged, and empowered to evolve. This conversation dives into leadership development, mentorship, employee engagement, performance evaluations, workplace culture, coaching, and the importance of investing in both quiet and outspoken team members. Melanie also shares why developing people is valuable even when employees eventually move on to new opportunities. Whether you are a manager, executive, entrepreneur, HR professional, coach, or emerging leader, this episode offers practical leadership insights you can immediately apply to your organization and career. In this episode: How to develop employees effectivelyWhy mentorship matters in leadershipCreating a culture of growth and accountabilitySupporting employee engagement and professional developmentLeadership strategies for building stronger teamsHow development conversations improve workplace cultureWhy investing in people strengthens organizations long termGet free access to the Leadership Blueprint course for podcast listeners using the code ODYSSEY: https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint The Experimental Leader Podcast explores leadership, innovation, inclusivity, coaching, workplace culture, and human centered leadership through honest conversations and actionable ideas. Follow, rate, and review The Experimental Leader Podcast on Apple Podcasts to stay connected with future Skill Up episodes and leadership conversations designed for modern leaders. Listen now and start experimenting with your leadership.

Decoding Human Performance with Jacob Chase

2026/05/20

In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford are joined by Jacob Chase, CEO of Infin, for a strategic exploration of leadership, accountability, and the future of human performance. The discussion examines how organizations can evolve beyond traditional performance management systems and succession planning models that often fail to capture the full scope of individual and team contribution. Jacob introduces a performance intelligence framework that leverages collective feedback to surface more accurate, bias-resistant insights into how work is actually delivered across teams. Melanie and Mel also unpack the ongoing leadership challenge of balancing work quality, revenue generation, and managerial input, offering a practical lens for strengthening accountability in complex organizational environments. Mel Rutherford adds a succession planning perspective, emphasizing the importance of intentionally developing future leaders well in advance of transition points. This conversation highlights the shift toward more adaptive, data-informed, and values-aligned leadership systems that better reflect real organizational impact. 🎧 Special Offer: Access the Leadership Blueprint program for free using the code ODYSSEY at checkout. 👉 https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint This episode is designed for executives, managers, HR leaders, coaches, and organizational strategists seeking to elevate leadership effectiveness, improve decision-making, and build more resilient teams and cultures.

Podcast reviews

Read The Experimental Leader podcast reviews

5 out of 5

135 reviews

★★★★★

dr.l.carol 2026/04/06

Great Team

It was so refreshing to talk about leadership with Melanie and Mel! I look forward to listening to it!

★★★★★

Guillaume Wiatr 2024/08/21

Exploring Leadership with Authenticity and Care

I had the pleasure of being a guest on Melanie's podcast and was truly impressed by her unique perspective on leadership, which I had already admired ...

★★★★★

Scrappy Kimberly 2022/09/19

Refreshing approach to the leadership conversation!

It was extremely refreshing to communicate about experimental approaches to leadership! It is inevitable that we must take necessary risks, learn from...

★★★★★

markjc27 2022/05/14

Quick and practical

Melanie brings in guests that have great insights, asks them thoughtful questions, and gets to practical ideas quickly. Love the readily accessible le...

★★★★★

Jakub[SOP] 2020/11/02

A must listen leadership podcast

If sometimes you wonder if you can do this or that because no one else has tried it, try and scan their episodes, they might have the answer! We can't...

★★★★★

MA2HI2FL 2020/10/30

Valuable content

Insightful, easy to listen to, and always educational. I love this podcast and always get a few nuggets of gold. Love it

★★★★★

collincastrina 2020/08/07

MUST LISTEN

If you are looking to learn more about leadership then this is a MUST LISTEN SHOW!!! I can not recommend this show enough.

★★★★★

postpost 2020/08/07

Great advice for leaders, managers, present and future entrepreneurs

I really enjoy Melanie’s thoughtful interview style and approach with her guest and look forward to new insights each episode.