The 10 Best Leadership Podcasts for Women Working Toward Their “What’s Next”

While working toward my Masters degree over the past two years, I’ve had a ton of assigned reading. That didn’t leave a lot of time for consuming books outside of my studies. I find podcasts can be a great way to gain new insights while driving, walking, or doing other routine tasks.

I am always excited to receive new podcast recommendations, especially if they are podcasts about leadership. There are always new techniques, stories, and successes to learn from, and podcasts afford hosts — and listeners — time to explore topics more deeply than they could in a 1,000-word article or blog post. As we embark on a new year, I want to share 10 powerful podcasts with anyone looking to bring diverse voices and fresh perspectives into their busy lives. I’ve picked programming that could be especially helpful to women working to grow professionally or pivot in their careers this year.

10 Inspiring Podcasts on Leadership

1. Fixable
   Harvard Business Professor Frances Frei and CEO Anne Morriss are two of the top leadership coaches in the world. You may have heard about their new book Move Fast and Fix Things, and on their podcast, they do just that. Anne and Frances talk to guest callers about their workplace issues and help uncover solutions to their problems in 30 minutes or less. Both listeners and guests receive actionable insights to create meaningful change in the workplace regardless of their position on the company ladder.

• Recent Episodes: How to Be a Leader Even If You Don’t Have the Title, How to Write Things That Busy People Will Actually Read
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

2) Dare to Lead
Brené Brown has also embarked on the book-to-podcast journey. Based on the best-selling Dare to Lead, the correlating podcast is a mix of solo episodes and conversations with change-catalysts, culture-shifters, and as Brown puts it, “as many troublemakers as possible.” Episodes focus on the role that daring leadership plays in innovation, creativity, and building a better world, with Brown offering thoughtful advice to help listeners show up — and step up.

• Recent Episodes: Brené with Patrice Gordon on Reverse Mentorship, Brené with Doug Conant on Finding & Telling Your Leadership Story
• Listen on: Spotify

3) Second Life
It’s never too late to start over. Hosted by Who What Wear co-founder Hillary Kerr, Second Life explores the stories of inspiring women who’ve fearlessly mastered career pivots at any age. You’ll hear from pioneers, artists, mothers, founders, writers, visionaries, designers, and CEOs about how they found their unique version of success and fulfillment.

• Recent Episodes: Shan-Lyn Ma: Zola Co-Founder and Co-CEO; Morgan Zanotti: Co-Founder and President of Primal Kitchen
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

4) We Can Do Hard Things
We all do hard things every day — loving and losing, caring for children and parents, struggling in our jobs, setting boundaries, and fighting for equality, purpose, freedom, joy, and peace. On this podcast, Untamed author Glennon Doyle, with her wife Abby Wambach and her sister Amanda Doyle, talk to guests about important experiences in their lives and get honest about the hard things we all go through.

• Recent Episodes: How to Stretch Time with Jenny Odell, Dolly Parton: How to Make Decisions Even If They Break Your Heart, Elizabeth Gilbert on Her Most Important Daily Practice
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

5) The Art of Speaking Up
Career coach Jessica Guzik hosts a podcast that empowers professional women to achieve their wildest career goals. Through curated, practical career advice on topics like career advancement, goal setting, job searching, stress management, and salary negotiation, the show aims to motivate, entertain, and remind working women that no matter what they might be struggling with, anything is possible for them in their careers.

• Recent Episodes: Overcoming Obstacles to Assertiveness, How to Reignite Your Belief in Yourself When You’re Feeling Stuck, What to Do When Your Mind Goes Blank While You’re Speaking
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

6) Women at Work
Gender discrimination doesn’t have to derail women’s ambitions, but how do we prepare to deal with issues like the wage gap or standing up to interrupting male colleagues? On Women at Work, Harvard Business Review staffers Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo, and Emily Caulfield untangle some of the toughest workplace problems that women face. They interview gender experts, tell stories about their own experiences, and give lots of practical advice to help you succeed despite the obstacles.

• Recent Episodes: Navigating Your Career When You Have a Disability, Communicating Effectively When You’re Running on Empty
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

7) HBR on Leadership
HBR on Leadership is a great go-to source for insights and inspiration from the world’s top leadership experts. Every Wednesday, the editors at Harvard Business Review hand-pick case studies and conversations with global business leaders, management experts, and academics from across HBR to help you unlock the best in those around you.

• Recent Episodes: The Art of Giving Feedback, How to Embrace Your New Identity as a Manager, Seeing Yourself as a Leader
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

8) Ted Talks Daily
Every weekday, TED Talks Daily delivers a 10-minute talk full of insights to help change your perspective, ignite your curiosity, and learn something new. Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable, from AI to zoology. You’ll always have something interesting to talk about while you’re waiting for a work meeting to begin.

• Recent Episodes: Do Gut Microbes Control Your Personality?, AI’s Single Point of Failure, Is Alternative Meat the Recipe for a Healthier Planet?
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

9) Think Fast, Talk Smart
Whether you’re sending a text or presenting in a meeting, communication is critical to business success, and Think Fast, Talk Smart provides the tools, techniques, and best practices you need to communicate more effectively. Host Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, navigates questions such as: How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey complex information? and How do I manage my reputation?

• Recent Episodes: Maximizing Your Personal Brand, How to Lead with Vulnerability, Making Meetings Meaningful
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

10) Career Contessa
Feeling stuck or unsure of your “what’s next”? Career Contessa can help you figure out what you truly want, land a job, make more money, advance your career, and improve your work life. Expect actionable insights from experts on a variety of practical topics, including job searches, interviews, resumes, career transitions, LinkedIn, leadership, work-life balance, and more.

• Recent Episodes: How LinkedIn Comments Can Win You More Job Offers, 5 Things to Take Off Your Resume Right Now, How to Quit for Strategic Success
• Listen on: Apple or Spotify

Leadership Podcasts — the List Goes On!

Whether you’re thinking about switching career tracts, finding your footing in a new leadership role, or want to sharpen your communication skills this year, there’s likely a podcast to go with your goal. If these 10 podcasts don’t speak to you, a quick Spotify search will likely lead you to endless listening opportunities. Please do share which podcasts are your favorites. I’m always looking for new ones to add to the list.

For more thought leadership content on storytelling, brand building, and women in leadership, visit my website, dararoyer.com.