Good Leaders: Who are you listening to lately?

I found the question from the audience to be odd. Someone asked me at a speaking engagement, “Who are you listening to lately?”  My initial thought was, “I normally listen to sports radio, Frank Sinatra, and Classic Rock and Roll.” But, my instincts told me to probe for more information. “I mean, what PODCASTS are you listening to these days? You know, when you exercise, drive, or during your travels.”

Podcasts. They’re all the rage these days, and for good reason. Well-produced podcasts serve as commercial-free long play radio programs that inspire through investigative interviews and storytelling. As a speaker, I’m accustomed to fielding questions about what I am reading these days. But, this question about “who was I listening to?” was a first – and a beautiful lead-in to what’s coming next for the Goodness Pays movement.

For 8 years we have been recording the TED Talk-style speeches of more than 60 speakers at the Good Leadership Breakfast Series. They are more conducive to long-play radio, than video broadcasts. So, we’re launching into podcasts this spring!

Will you help?

Our podcast aspirations stimulated a whole new discussion within our office walls. Here’s what I learned from our VP of Client Services, Erin: “The West Wing Weekly is a popular podcast amongst fans of The West Wing television show. They have a similar format to how I’m thinking of the Goodness Pays podcast, with two co-hosts and a featured guest.”

Her insights stimulated how you can help: What podcasts are you listening to that you think we need to learn from?

My son Ben turned me onto the podcast series, The Moth. The Moth Podcast re-airs all new episodes of The Moth Radio Hour, plus additional stories from the vast archive recorded over the past two decades. Episodes are released every Tuesday. You can subscribe via iTunes, RSS, RadioPublic, or your favorite podcast app.

Listening to The Moth helped me realize the wealth of storytelling we have at Good Leadership Enterprises, through all of the speakers of the Good Leadership Breakfast over the past 8 years. And since our mission is “spreading goodness through good leadership,” perhaps podcasts are the key to “spreading.”

What’s next!?

So, you can anticipate the Goodness Pays podcasts very soon – produced by our Good Leadership team. We will initially be featuring the speakers from the Good Leadership Breakfast Series, and eventually specific interviews from our client base and beyond – all in support of the idea that we need to spread goodness through good leadership. You can expect to see (hear) the first set of three in time for the kick-off of the Good Leadership Breakfast in mid-February. Then, we will produce our February speaker, Jurriaan Kamp, same day.

Good leaders embrace new ways to learn how to be a good leader. And they rely on the goodness of others to help them learn who they should be listening to – for their own good.

Here’s how you can help: Who are you listening to lately?