The Greg McKeown Podcast

David Landsman has spent his career navigating some of the highest-stakes conversations imaginable, from the conflict in the Balkans to serving as Britain’s ambassador to Greece during the financial crisis. In this episode, we talk about what diplomacy can teach all of us about listening, negotiation, and why the secret to getting your message across starts with understanding the person sitting across from you.

Dr David Landsman is a former senior British diplomat and corporate executive who helps business leaders understand what they need to know about geopolitics. He is the author of the Channel Your Inner Ambassador blog, which shares stories from his varied diplomatic career and shows how a diplomat's mindset and tradecraft can help us all in our business and personal lives.

Eric Ries is the creator of the Lean Startup method and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup, The Leader’s Guide, and The Startup Way. As a founder, Eric has put his own ideas into practice through the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE), Answer.AI, an AI R&D lab, Virgil, a legal services startup, and IMVU. On The Eric Ries Show, he talks with world-class technologists, thought leaders, and executives who are building for the long term.

Get a copy of his new book Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad... and How Great Companies Stay Great

New here? I am a two-time New York Times bestselling author and one of the most sought-after public speakers globally, having addressed over 500 companies in more than 40 countries. My clients include Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Nike. My work has been covered in print media, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, Time, Fast Company, Fortune, Politico, Inc., and Harvard Business Review. It has also been featured on NPR, NBC, FOX, and multiple times on The Steve Harvey Show.

Dr. Eric Cole has worked in cybersecurity for over 30 years, helping organizations protect their data. He started as a CIA hacker who could access any internet-connected computer. Using this expertise, he built companies focused on defense. Dr. Cole has worked with Lockheed Martin, McAfee, and consulted globally for clients like Saudi Aramco, Nouryon, utility companies, nuclear sites, financial institutions, and healthcare. He secures the Gates family and was a commissioner for President Obama, continuing to advise on security.

Most of us walk into disagreements armed with arguments, ready to persuade, but Harvard behavioral scientist Dr. Julia Minson's research reveals that persuasion is actually the goal you're least likely to achieve. In this episode, she unpacks the hidden science of receptiveness: why the most influential people in any room aren't the loudest voices, but the best listeners.

Julia Minson is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is a behavioral scientist with extensive research experience in conflict, communication, negotiations, and decision-making. Her work has been published in top academic outlets and covered by CNN, TIME, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

Get her book How to Disagree Better here: https://amzn.to/3QFUypd

New here? I am a two-time New York Times bestselling author and one of the most sought-after public speakers globally, having spoken to over 500 companies while traveling to more than 40 countries. My clients include Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Nike. My work has been covered in print media, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, Time, Fast Company, Fortune, Politico, Inc., and Harvard Business Review. It has also been featured on NPR, NBC, FOX, and multiple times on The Steve Harvey Show.

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Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most

The Essentialism Planner: A 90-Day Guide to Accomplishing More by Doing Less

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Melani Sanders is a digital creator and the fearless founder of the We Do Not Care Movement™. Her viral WDNC reels and posts capture the humor, heart, and chaos of perimenopause and menopause, midlife in general, motherhood, and real life.

William J. Doherty is an educator, researcher, therapist, speaker, author, consultant, and community organizer. He is Professor and Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program in the Department of Family Social Science, College of Education and Human Development, at the University of Minnesota, where he is also an adjunct Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.

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Take Back Your Marriage by Jamil Zaki

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Today’s conversation is an invitation to recover a lost technology—the discipline of real understanding. We explore why our confidence in “getting” other people is often the very thing blocking connection, and how a more humble, rigorous form of empathy can change the quality of our relationships, our leadership, and even our society. This episode is about becoming less wrong—on purpose—and discovering why listening may be the most essential skill we’ve underestimated.

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The War for Kindness by Jamil Zaki

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NFL legend Steve Young joins The Greg McKeown Podcast to discuss his book "The Law of Love," exploring a pivotal moment when Stephen Covey helped him shift from a transactional, self-focused mindset to one centered on unconditional love during his difficult early years replacing Joe Montana. The conversation delves into how reducing "transactional noise" in relationships—the need to be special, acclaimed, or right—unlocks deeper connection and abundance in business, family, and all aspects of life. Young argues this principle is universal and "undefeated," supported by science, mathematics, and wisdom traditions alike.

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The Law of Love⁠ by Steve Young

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What do we do when logic isn’t enough? Greg sits down with Matthew McConaughey to explore poems, prayers, and the disciplined choice to believe—over cynicism, doubt, and apathy. Together they read new pieces from Poems & Prayers and unpack how language, rhythm, and ritual can metabolize suffering into meaning and forward motion.

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Poems & Prayers by Matthew McConaughey

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What if policing could move from reacting to crime to building trust before it begins?

In this episode, I speak with Ward Clapham, the former Police Chief in Richmond, Canada, who pioneered the “positive ticketing program.” This simple idea—rewarding positive behavior instead of only punishing negative—transformed community trust and dramatically reduced crime.

At the heart of Ward’s leadership was listening. Not just hearing, but listening with empathy, which shaped his career and even influenced policing worldwide.

This isn’t just about policing. It’s about the universal power of listening-led leadership—in families, businesses, and communities. The invitation is clear: listen deeply, and watch what changes.

Visit Ward's Website

Join Greg's weekly ⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠.

Learn more about Greg's ⁠⁠⁠books and courses⁠⁠⁠.

Join ⁠⁠⁠The Essentialism Academy⁠⁠⁠.

Follow Greg on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠.