Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Ann Hiatt, Leadership Strategist & Consultant and Author of the book Bet on Yourself. Ann Hiatt shared the many lessons she learned while working alongside the world's top tech CEOs—Google's Eric Schmidt, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Yahoo's Marissa Meyer. In addition to the story of her reinvention, Ann Hiatt shared common practices and approaches of these and other top-performing leaders.  

Some highlights:

- Ann Hiatt on how she ended up working at Amazon and supporting Jeff Bezos

- How Ann Hiatt handled the crisis when the helicopter she booked for Jeff Bezos ended up crashing

- The leadership models, habits, thought processes Ann Hiatt learned from working closely with Jezz Bezos and Eric Schmidt

- Ann Hiatt on how to hire people who are value-aligned and a good culture fit for your company

- Why you should and how you can Bet on Yourself.

 Also mentioned in this episode:

-Jeff Bezos, Founder and Executive Chairman of Amazon

-Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google

-Andy Jassy, President and CEO of Amazon

-John Doerr, Venture Capitalist at Kleiner Perkins, an early investor in companies including Amazon & Google, and OKR advocate

Book Recommendations:

Bet on Yourself by Ann Hiatt

Measure What Matters by John Doerr

Connect with Ann Hiatt:

Bet on Yourself Website

Ann Hiatt on LinkedIn

Ann Hiatt on Twitter

Ann Hiatt on Instagram

Ann Hiatt on Facebook

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Justin Evans, a seasoned executive and author of The Little Book of Data. With a career spanning leadership roles at major media and tech firms including Microsoft, NBCUniversal, and Paramount, Evans brings a rare combination of commercial acumen and data fluency to the conversation. His insights offer a refreshing—and deeply practical—framework for how senior leaders should think about data, not as a technical layer, but as a strategic lens.

Far too often, CEOs and boards delegate “data” to specialists, only to find themselves disconnected from the systems shaping growth, innovation, and increasingly, AI-driven decision-making. Evans challenges that mindset. He argues that data is now a core leadership discipline—and avoiding it is no longer an option. But here’s the twist: embracing data doesn’t require becoming a data scientist. It requires leading with the right posture, questions, and level of clarity.

Throughout the conversation, Evans offers real-world stories, from nonprofits reducing senior loneliness using conversational analytics, to multinationals unlocking hidden growth by surfacing unused operational data. What sets his thinking apart is not just the depth of his data expertise, but how convincingly he ties it back to purpose, impact, and leadership judgment.

This is not a technical conversation. It’s a strategic one. And for leaders wondering how to navigate a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, dashboards, and machine learning, this episode is both a wake-up call and a guidepost. If you’ve ever felt a step behind in the data conversation—or feared being sidelined in the age of AI—this dialogue will help you reframe and reengage with confidence.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Hear how Justin Evans reframes data as a leadership language, not a technical specialty—and what that means for the C-suite
  
  
  
• You’ll learn why humility and confidence are the twin mindsets leaders need to lead well in a data-driven world
  
  
  
• Hear how to spot the untapped 8% of growth potential that may be hiding in your organization’s existing data
  
  
  
• Discover how great leaders crystallize complexity—and why that’s the superpower that separates insight from noise
  
  
  
• You’ll learn what to do when you feel out of your depth in technical conversations—and why that moment can be your greatest advantage
  
  
  
• Hear why delegating understanding can quietly erode strategic control—and how to reclaim it without micromanaging
  
  
  
• Learn the real reason some executives quietly bounce off data-driven initiatives—and what to do to avoid it
  
  
  
• Gain a framework for using data as a force multiplier for purpose and innovation, not just reporting
  
  
  
• Hear how AI is beginning to create its own data streams—and what leaders must do to ensure alignment with mission and impact
  
  
  
• Discover the kinds of questions leaders should be asking of their data teams—and why asking better questions is more important than knowing the answers
  
  
  

Connect with Justin Evans

Justin Evans LinkedIn 

The Little Book of Data: Understanding the Powerful Analytics that Fuel AI, Make or Break Careers, and Could Just End Up Saving the World 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

Welcome to the Best Of series on Partnering Leadership.

While many of us take a bit of a breather in July and August, we’re revisiting standout episodes—conversations that are worth hearing again, especially as leadership challenges shift and new moments call for fresh thinking.

I’ve also pulled together 12 of the leadership books I recommend most often—each linked below to my conversation with the author.

Whether it’s your first listen or a return visit, the best conversations have a way of revealing something new when the moment calls for it. 

We’ll be back in September with more great conversations and powerful ideas.

Thanks for continuing to learn, grow, and lead in ways that make a real difference.

—Mahan

Trust & Inspire – Stephen M. R. Covey

CEO Excellence – Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vik Malhotra

Simple Truths of Leadership – Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

Leading Change – John Kotter

How to Lead – David Rubenstein

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Avi Goldfarb & Joshua Gans

The Performance Paradox – Eduardo Briceño

How Minds Change – David McRaney

Human + Machine – Paul Daugherty & H. James Wilson

10 Stories Great Leaders Tell – Paul Smith

Turn the Ship Around! – L. David Marquet

Magic Words – Jonah Berger

"I would rather read the best 100 books over and over again until I absorb them rather than read all the books."  Naval Ravikant

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website