The Experimental Leader

What happens when leaders become so focused on having power, making decisions, and getting things done that they stop listening to the people around them?

In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how power can affect a leader’s ability to listen, understand others, and make thoughtful decisions. When leaders rely too heavily on their own perspectives, they risk missing valuable insights from their teams and making decisions that haven't been fully tested.

They also unpack how busyness can become an excuse for avoiding meaningful conversations and why creating intentional opportunities to listen is essential for effective leadership.

From shorter, more focused meetings to the practice of Gemba walks, Melanie and Mel share practical ways leaders can get closer to the work, understand their employees' challenges, recognize their strengths, and make better-informed decisions.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How power can affect your ability to understand other people's perspectives.
• Why concentrating decision-making power can lead to blind spots.
• How busyness can get in the way of listening and meaningful feedback.
• Why curiosity and employee input lead to better decisions.
• How Gemba walks help leaders understand what's really happening within their teams.
• Practical ways to create more time for listening, thinking, and connecting.

Leadership isn't just about having the authority to make decisions. It's about being willing to listen, learn, and recognize that the people doing the work often have insights leaders need to hear.

Keep experimenting. Keep listening. Keep leading.

Explore the Leadership Blueprint

Ready to become a more intentional and effective leader? Explore the Leadership Blueprint and use code ODYSSEY to access the offer.

#TheExperimentalLeader #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipCoaching #EmotionalIntelligence #GembaWalks #TeamLeadership #KeepExperimenting

The higher you climb in leadership, the easier it can be to overlook your own biases. You might find yourself favoring people who think like you, agree with your ideas, or remind you of yourself. But how often do you stop and question whether your decisions are truly fair?

In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how leaders can recognize implicit bias, become more aware of their decision-making habits, and stay open to perspectives that challenge their thinking.

They discuss why self-reflection matters, how pausing before making decisions can reveal hidden assumptions, and why making space for quieter voices is essential to better leadership. They also explore curiosity as a skill leaders can intentionally develop, helping them respond less defensively to new information and create room for innovation.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why leaders can become more vulnerable to unconscious bias as they gain authority.
• How to recognize when you're favoring people who think or act like you.
• Why examining your own behavior is more effective than simply pointing out bias in others.
• How to make sure different voices and perspectives are heard.
• Why curiosity and openness to new ideas are essential leadership skills.

Great leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about being willing to question what you believe, listen to different perspectives, and keep learning.

Explore the Leadership Blueprint!

Ready to take your leadership development further? Check out the Leadership Blueprint by Dr. Mel Rutherford and use promo code ODYSSEY to receive 50% off.

Keep experimenting!

#TheExperimentalLeader #LeadershipDevelopment #ImplicitBias #InclusiveLeadership #LeadershipSkills #Curiosity #Innovation

Do you find yourself fixing your team’s work, even when it’s already good enough to move forward? Many leaders fall into the trap of believing they need to add value to every project. But constant editing and offering solutions can slow progress, undermine employee confidence, and take ownership away from the people doing the work.

In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore the shift from fixing to coaching. Learn how to recognize when your input is genuinely needed, when to trust your team, and how to use curiosity and thoughtful questions to help employees solve problems and take ownership of their work.

Discover how to offer guidance earlier, build trust, and give your team the space to succeed without feeling the need to improve everything yourself.

Ready to strengthen your leadership skills?

Explore Dr. Mel Rutherford’s Leadership Blueprint course and use promo code ODYSSEY for your special offer.

https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint

Because great leadership isn’t about having every answer. It’s about helping others find theirs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Want 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

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.

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 leaders
• The connection between cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and energy
• How digital overstimulation contributes to mental overload
• Practical ways to create space for deeper thinking and processing
• Why unresolved conflict can increase thought load
• How remote work has changed informal learning and connection
• The potential risks of relying too heavily on AI
• How 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.