November 04, 2025

S11 Ep25: Pets, Purpose, and Power: The Animal Science of Leadership

26 minutes

Guest: Rustin Moore, Dean: The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Is your dog trying to teach you how to lead better?

Dr. Rustin Moore joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore the profound connection between human physiology, emotional steadiness, and effective leadership. From the biochemical power of oxytocin to the social wisdom of packs, hives, and herds, Moore draws parallels between nature and modern organizations. Together they discuss how compassion, boundaries, and trust emerge naturally in healthy ecosystems, and how leaders can recreate that same balance in teams and workplaces.

Here's what Rustin and Maureen cover:

How leaders can cultivate calm and compassion under pressure;

The neuroscience behind building trust and resilient teams; and

Why interacting with animals reduces stress.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- The Bonobo Sisterhood: Ape Society’s Lessons for Leadership with Diane Rosenfeld

- Why Pet-Friendly Means Productivity-Friendly with Lisa Campbell

- Our Emotional Recession: How to Lead When People Are Depleted with Joshua Freedman

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Rustin’s book is Unleashing the Bond: Harnessing the Power of Human-Animal Interactions. It’s in paperback at https://amzn.to/47D25d1.

His follow-up book is Unlocking the Bond: The Power & Paradox of Human-Animal Interactions; it will be available in January.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2

IWebsite: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Dr. Rustin M. Moore, professor and the Rita Jean Wolfe Endowed Dean in Veterinary Medicine, is the 11th dean of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine having served in this role since September 2015.

A two-time graduate of the college, Dr. Moore returned to the college in 2006 and served as the chair of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, executive director of the Veterinary Medical Center, associate dean for Clinical and Outreach Programs, and associate executive dean before becoming dean.

He has taught both at Ohio State and at Louisiana State University (LSU)

A native of Spencer, WV, he earned a BS degree (1986), summa cum laude, from West Virginia University; a DVM (1989), summa cum laude, and a PhD (1994) from The Ohio State University. He became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1994.

He is the author of Unleashing the Bond: Harnessing the Power of Human-Animal Interactions, a comprehensive work that delves into the profound human-animal connection, weaving together history, science, culture, demographic and socioeconomic data, and compelling stories from over 100 interviews into an informative and captivating narrative. His follow-up book, Unlocking the Bond: The Power and Paradox of Human-Animal Interactions, builds upon the foundation of Unleashing the Bond, focusing on and raising awareness about the impact and contradictions of the human-animal bond.

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