170: The 5 Learning Styles That Build Real Leaders | Scott Allen
Release Date:
May 22, 2025
Release Date: May 22
Leadership isn’t just about vision. Instead it’s about showing up in the everyday moments if you want to shape great teams, cultures, and results.
There’s myth that some people are “born leaders” but in today’s episode, leadership expert Dr. Scott Allen shares why leadership is learned, practiced, and most importantly, deeply personal.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the idea of “natural-born leaders” is outdated
The science behind charisma (and how to develop it)
What leadership styles have in common with golf clubs
The difference between authority and influence—and why influence wins
Why “thinking partners” are essential for every leader
How to combine knowledge, skill, mentorship, and experience for true growth
In This Episode:
00:14 – Are leaders born or made?
01:49 – What science says about charisma and learnable leadership
03:48 – How problem-solving, negotiation, and communication can be developed
06:00 – Leadership styles and the “golf club” metaphor
08:42 – Making leadership training stick: from hacks to habits
09:43 – Why self-awareness is foundational to great leadership
12:08 – Character, curiosity, and the power of learning
13:02 – Can self-awareness be taught?
15:36 – Curiosity as a leadership superpower
17:02 – Coaches who deflect blame vs. leaders who take ownership
18:12 – Empathy, ego, and the limits of expertise in leadership
20:26 – Why catchers make great managers
21:43 – Influence: the real heart of leadership
24:07 – Trust as the currency of leadership
25:48 – Influence tactics: from logic to coalitions
28:18 – Timing and persuasion in leadership conversations
30:01 – Why knowledge alone isn’t enough—real-world learning is essential
33:22 – The five domains of leadership learning
35:27 – Creating learning organizations with psychological safety
37:54 – The role of thinking partners in leadership development
41:04 – How to find (and build) your bench of thinking partners
46:57 – Why one partner won’t solve everything—and that’s the point
49:01 – “Who you are is how you lead” – Scott’s favorite leadership quote
50:39 – Final thoughts on responsibility, reflection, and showing up for others
About the Guest:
Dr. Scott J. Allen is an award-winning educator, keynote speaker, and leadership expert.
With over 17 years as a professor and more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, Scott brings academic rigor, humor, and real-world insight to every engagement.
He's co-authored several books on leadership and hosts Practical Wisdom for Leaders—a podcast ranked in the top 2.5% globally. He also publishes a weekly newsletter for busy practitioners, highlighting four leadership articles.
Scott energizes audiences at marquee organizations such as Toyota Motor North America, Cleveland Clinic, NASA-Glenn, Nestlé, Progressive, Whiting Turner, Sam's Club, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and Progressive through his dynamic keynotes, workshops, and retreats.
Whether on stage or in the boardroom, Scott’s expertise in leader development, the future of work, and executive communication empowers leaders to drive meaningful, lasting change.
