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Artwork for The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Zenger Folkman Leadership
Leadership
Feedback
Trust
Leadership Effectiveness
Employee Engagement
Interpersonal Skills
Colonel Sanders
Leadership Development
Team Management
Innovation
Organizational Vision
Communication
Expertise
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Executive Presence
Remote Work
Employee Development
Productivity
Holiday Season
Adaptability

Using over 1.5 million assessments from leaders across the world, renowned psychometrician Joe Folkman and leadership legend Jack Zenger are here to settle the debates and let the data speak for itself. Each week they analyze different leadership traits, trends, and what it really takes to get to the 90th percentile. These short episodes feature compelling stories, research, and actions that leade... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes200Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusinessEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Latest Episodes

Episode Description

Gossip may seem like a minor workplace habit, but the research tells a very different story.

In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne and Joe Folkman explore new data from Zenger Folkman’s 360-degree leadership assessment... more

Episode Description

In a time of tighter budgets and higher scrutiny, leadership development is often one of the first investments leaders feel pressure to justify—or cut. But what if that decision is quietly costing organizations far more than they... more

Details

In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren and Joe Folkman unpack Zenger Folkman’s new Leadership Skills 2026 Report and explore what truly differentiates leaders in an AI-accelerated world.

As AI makes information faster and ch... more

Details

Trust in leadership is often framed as a generational issue—older leaders are assumed to be more credible because of experience, while younger leaders are expected to “prove themselves” before earning trust. But Zenger Folkman research chall... more

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Recent Guests

Orin Salas
Vice President of Sales at Zenger Folkman
Zenger Folkman
Episode: Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore
Dani Johnson
Co-founder and principal analyst for RedThread Research
RedThread Research
Episode: Episode 154: Is Learning and Development Being Demoted?
Scott Schmadeke
Executive Vice President and Chief Operation Officer at BJ's Wholesale Club
BJ's Wholesale Club
Episode: Episode 157: Team Trust at BJ’s Wholesale Club with Scott Schmadeke
David Rock
Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute and author of several books on neuroscience and leadership
NeuroLeadership Institute
Episode: Episode 160: Using Neuroscience to Make Feedback Work with David Rock
Alastair Skellern
Partner at Arcadia Consulting
Arcadia Consulting
Episode: Episode 176 Jotun: A Case Study in Extraordinary Leadership
Kathleen Crenshaw
Director of L&D at Desert Financial Credit Union
Desert Financial Credit Union
Episode: Episode 174: Making Development Popular with Desert Financial Credit Union
Christopher Bisgrove
Senior Learning and Leadership Consultant at Desert Financial Credit Union
Desert Financial Credit Union
Episode: Episode 174: Making Development Popular with Desert Financial Credit Union
Shanna Goodell
Head of Learning and Development at Druva
Druva
Episode: Episode 168: Well-Being Is a Business Strategy—Leadership Lessons from Druva
Rose Christensen
A passionate learning and development leader at Wright Services Corp
Wright Services Corp
Episode: Episode 167: Flexible, Focused, and Future-Ready—L&D at Wright Service Corp.

Hosts

Joe Folkman
Co-host and renowned psychometrician; co-founder of Zenger Folkman
BreAnne O'Coren
Co-host of The 90th Percentile; engages with research-driven leadership insights

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 117 ratings
  • Impactful

    Such an fun and engaging podcast!

    The insights are distilled from research with thousands of leaders and is actionable and memorable to drive organizational results.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jlsneda
    United States3 years ago
  • An easy listen!!

    This podcast is a quick and easy listen! It breaks down compelling and relevant research into very digestible 15 minute episodes. The hosts are insightful and share interesting stories. A great listen for leaders!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tedge_1
    United States3 years ago
  • Research Driven and Wise!

    Great podcast! The topics are always relevant and helpful. And, I love the grounding in solid research. Leadership is not a mystic art! It’s a real skill which can be developed and honed with practice!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sslarso6
    United States4 years ago
  • A Must Listen for Leaders 🔥🔥

    I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you for creating such an impactful podcast! I believe that we all have a voice that deserves to be heard. Thank you for putting this into the world! BE UNBROKEN! @MichaelUnbroken

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    @MichaelUnbroken
    United States4 years ago
  • Making your Job more Meaningful

    What a great model to strive towards to make your job more meaningful. I will remember the CPO model and hope to learn more about how to implement it into my own work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rasmuskl
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is concise yet packed with actionable leadership insights.
Research-based content with practical takeaways for managers and executives.
High-quality production and engaging, data-driven discussions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 176 Jotun: A Case Study in Extraordinary Leadership
Q: What conditions need to be in place for leadership development programs to really stick?
Senior leadership sponsorship and dynamic learning and development professionals are essential for successful implementation.
Episode 176 Jotun: A Case Study in Extraordinary Leadership
Q: What do you find most powerful about this approach compared to the traditional fix the weaknesses models of leadership development?
The data-driven insights empower leaders and encourage them to focus on their strengths, fostering a dynamic development journey.
Episode 174: Making Development Popular with Desert Financial Credit Union
Q: What advice would you offer about making leadership development more accessible?
Create a repeatable process, utilize a quality leadership curriculum, and emphasize the need for program management.
Episode 174: Making Development Popular with Desert Financial Credit Union
Q: What mindset shifts have you been encouraging among leaders of leaders?
Encouraging a transition from a fix-it culture to one of coaching and feedback, teaching leaders to empower others rather than solve problems for them.
Episode 173: The Surprising Way Leadership Behaviors Go Viral at Work
Q: If HR and organizational development professionals want to spark positive contagion, where should they start?
They should start with small cohorts of highly visible and respected leaders, use proven behavior-changing methods, and commit to long-term development while measuring their impact.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Interests
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Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Short, data-driven leadership insights delivered in concise episodes. Across recent episodes, the focus is on leadership development ROI, trust and psychological safety, the role of neuroscience and feedback, and strengths-based development. Clips frequently reference rigorous research and practical takeaways leaders can apply to improve engagement, retention, and performance. A notable strength is the data-first approach from renowned practitioners at Zenger Folkman, often translating complex studies into actionable frameworks for executives, HR, and managers. Potential listeners who want evidence-based leadership tactics and quick, digestible episodes will likely find it compelling, especially those interested in organizational culture an... more

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Worklife with Adam Grant
2. Coaching Real Leaders
3. HBR IdeaCast
4. HBR On Leadership
5. Freakonomics Radio

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 5 years ago and published 200 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Orin Salas
2. Dani Johnson
3. Scott Schmadeke
4. David Rock
5. Alastair Skellern
6. Kathleen Crenshaw
7. Christopher Bisgrove
8. Shanna Goodell

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