A retired four-star general, General Stan McChrystal is the former commander of the US and International Forces in Afghanistan and the former commander of the nation’s premier military counter-terrorism force, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He’s the founder & CEO of The McChrystal Group and a senior fellow at Yale, where he teaches a popular course on leadership. An expert on leadership and teams, General McChrystal is the author of several books, including his new book, Risk. In this conversation, we talk about the future of leadership, leading through adversity, and building resilient teams. 

Game Changers with Molly Fletcher

General Stan McChrystal on How to Lead Through Change and Uncertainty

Ernie Johnson is one of the most recognizable and loved sports personalities on TV. A 3x Sports Emmy Award winner, Ernie hosts the popular postgame show Inside the NBA on TNT. In his book Unscripted, Ernie opens up about life both on and off the screen. On this episode, we talk about the unpredictable moments that make life extraordinary. Ernie shares the life lessons he learned from his battle with cancer, how he’s been able to prioritize both work and family, and the beauty of living life unscripted. 

Ernie Johnson on The Power of Authenticity

To succeed at work and advance your career, you need someone who will advocate for you. Who will be your champion? Carla Harris, Vice Chairman of Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, believes that a sponsor is the critical relationship in your career. Carla began her career on Wall Street at a time when few of her colleagues were African-American or women. She oversees Morgan Stanley’s multicultural client strategy, helped build the company’s Multicultural Innovation Lab, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women’s Business Council. On this episode, Carla shares what she’s learned about pathways to career success. Discover the difference between mentors and sponsors, how to get a sponsor, and why authenticity is your competitive advantage.

Carla Harris on Why You Need A Sponsor Not A Mentor

Known for his innovative approach and imaginative managerial tactics, Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon is one of the most successful leaders in baseball. In 16 seasons as a major league manager, he’s been awarded Manager of the Year three times and is third among active managers in wins. Joe led the Tampa Bay Rays to a World Series berth and the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908. On this episode, Joe shares the unconventional leadership tactics he embraces—from unique clubhouse visitors to themed road trips to meditation. And we also talk about the community work he is doing through his charitable foundation, Respect 90 and The Hazleton Integration Project.

Joe Maddon on Why Leaders Must Think Outside the Box

Kirk Herbstreit is the face of college football, serving as an analyst for College GameDay and Saturday Night Football. In his new memoir, Out of the Pocket, Kirk takes us inside the locker room—to the practice fields, meeting rooms and stadiums. And he also opens up about the personal challenges he overcame. On this episode, we talk about what happens when your dream blows up, taking a chance to pursue your passion, and never compromising what matters most. 

Kirk Herbstreit on Love What You Do

Amy Van Dyken is a six-time Olympic gold-medalist swimmer and the first American female athlete to win four gold medals in a single Games. In June of 2014, Amy’s life was turned upside down. She severed her spinal cord in an ATV accident, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Instead of being defeated, Amy attacked her rehab with relentless optimism and has become a champion for the disabilities community. In our conversation today, we talk about how to stay positive in the face of adversity, persevere against all odds, and go for it!   

Amy Van Dyken on How to Keep a Positive Outlook

Dominique Dawes is a three-time Olympic gymnast who helped Team USA to its first ever gold medal at the Summer Games in Atlanta in 1996. She is the only American gymnast to medal in the team competition at three different Olympic Games and is the first African-American gymnast to win an individual medal. But the success came at a price. Now, Dominique is helping to change the culture inside the sport she loves with the opening of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy.  On this episode, we talk about finding your greater purpose and defining success in your own terms.

Olympian Dominique Dawes on How To Find Fulfillment

Confidence. We all want it. We all need it. But how do we build it? Katty Kay is the author of The Confidence Code and The Confidence Code for Girls, and has spent years researching and studying the science of confidence. On this episode, we look at how a lack of confidence—particularly for women in the workplace-- impacts our leadership, success and fulfillment. In our conversation, Katty shares the magic formula for confidence: act more, think less and be authentic.    

Katty Kay on How To Build Your Confidence

Meet Alex Guerrero, the man behind Tom Brady’s success. Known as Brady’s body coach, their partnership has spanned 15 years and three Super Bowl titles. In 2013, Alex and Tom co-founded TB12, with the goal of helping people everywhere feel better and perform their best. This episode is all about how to sustain peak performance. Alex shares the keys to developing a winning mindset, recovery techniques, and gives us a unique look inside the mindset of one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Alex Guerrero on How Tom Brady Sustains Peak Performance

Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and speaker. Her TED Talk has been viewed more than 6.6 million times and Oprah named her to the inaugural SuperSoul100 list as someone who “elevates humanity.” Luvvie’s new book, Professional Troublemaker, inspire us all to live life loudly—with courage and conviction. On this episode, she walks us through how to do the things that scare us, embrace our unique superpowers, and use our voice for a greater good.

Luvvie Ajayi Jones on Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Jamie Kern Lima went from Denny’s waitress to founder of a multibillion-dollar cosmetics brand. She’s the founder of IT Cosmetics, a company she started in her living room and sold to L’Oreal for $1.2 billion, earning her a place on Forbes “Richest Self-Made Women” list. At least that’s the highlight version of her story. In her new book Believe It!, Jamie gets real on the hustle it took to keep her dream alive and the countless rejections she encountered along the way. In our conversation, we talk about how to overcome self-doubt, trust your intuition, and turn down the volume on your inner critic so that you can achieve your wildest dreams.

Jamie Kern Lima on Overcoming Self-Doubt

No one succeeds alone. That’s the message behind Compass founder and CEO Robert Reffkin’s journey and the title of his new book. Raised by his mother, abandoned by his father and disowned by his maternal grandparents, Robert has always defied the odds. He graduated from Columbia in 2.5 years, earned an MBA from Columbia Business School, and worked at McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and as a White House Fellow before starting Compass. One of the only Black CEOs in tech, Robert’s mission is to help everyone find their place in the world and realize their full potential. On this episode, we talk about the importance of mentorship, how to build your own network, and the leadership principles that have guided his success.

Compass Founder & CEO Robert Reffkin on The Importance of Mentorship

Ellen Bennett went from a $10/hour line cook to building a multimillion-dollar apron empire by dreaming big. She’s the founder and CEO of Hedley & Bennett, a culinary lifestyle brand that outfits everyone from the home cook to celebrity chefs and makers around the world.  In her new book, Dream First, Details Later, Ellen shares her incredible journey. On this episode, discover how to silence your inner critic, turn your ideas into action, and hustle your way to the top.

Ellen Bennett on Dream First, Details Later

What leads someone to say “yes” to a request? It might not be what you think. Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence. His books, Influence and Pre-suasion, have sold more than 5 million copies and his principles have become a cornerstone for sales and marketing professionals. But the reality is, we can all benefit by understanding the science of influence. On this episode, you’ll learn how to become more persuasive by employing these 7 simple techniques.

Dr. Robert Cialdini on The 7 Principles of Influence

She’s been called “The Millennial Oprah” by New York Magazine and “the poet of her generation” by Time Magazine. Cleo Wade is a community builder, artist, and the author of the bestselling books Heart Talk, Where To Begin, and Heart Talk: The Journal. Her new children’s book, What The Road Said, celebrates the journey we are all on and the questions we ask along the way. Cleo’s work speaks to our collective power to create change. On this episode, we talk about how she built a career on her own terms, knowing your value, and the power of mantras. PS- I’m giving away a special pack of all four of Cleo’s books to one lucky winner on my Instagram. Just follow @mollywfletcher for your chance to win! 

Cleo Wade on Boundaries, Being Present, and The Power of Mantras

Game Changers with Molly Fletcher is a podcast designed to help you maximize your influence and unleash your potential. Each episode, we take you behind the scenes with peak performers to learn what makes them tick and discover how you can apply their lessons to your life. For additional resources, visit mollyfletcher.com.

hubhopper

Game Changers with Molly Fletcher

hubhopper