Home Podcasts The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast
The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Zenger Folkman Leadership 200 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

Using over 1.5 million assessments from leaders worldwide, renowned psychometrician Dr. Joseph Folkman and leadership legend Dr. Jack Zenger analyze different leadership traits, trends, and what it really takes to get to the 90th percentile. Each week they settle leadership debates and let the data speak for itself. These short episodes feature compelling stories, research, and actions that leaders can take to improve.

Episodes

Episode 190: The Leadership Skill Everyone Thinks Is Dangerous
Episode 190: The Leadership Skill Everyone Thinks Is Dangerous Aug 19, 2026
Episode 189: Your Good Leaders Are the Hidden Problem
Episode 189: Your Good Leaders Are the Hidden Problem Jul 23, 2026 13:59
Episode 188: Remembering Jack Zenger—The Leader Behind the Research
Episode 188: Remembering Jack Zenger—The Leader Behind the Research Jul 15, 2026 18:39
Episode 187: The Future of Employee Development
Episode 187: The Future of Employee Development Jun 17, 2026 18:23 The Future of Employee Development For decades, employee development has largely been reserved for leaders and high-potential talent. But as organizations face growing succession challenges, talent shortages, and a rapidly changing workforce, many are beginning to ask an important question: What about everyone else? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down … Continued The p
Episode 186: Filling the Missing Gap in Early Career Development: Extraordinary You
Episode 186: Filling the Missing Gap in Early Career Development: Extraordinary You Jun 3, 2026 15:14 Episode Description Why do so many capable professionals overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly limiting trust, credibility, communication, and career growth? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Zenger Folkman co-founder Jack Zenger to explore new research on one of the most important drivers … Continued The post Episod
Episode 185: Are You Overestimating Your Effectiveness? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)
Episode 185: Are You Overestimating Your Effectiveness? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think) May 27, 2026 14:15 Episode Description Why do so many capable people overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly damaging trust, credibility, communication, and career growth? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Joe Folkman to explore new research from Zenger Folkman on the surprising gap between how individual … Continued The post Episode 185
Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice
Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice Mar 24, 2026 16:51 Episode Description In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, BreAnne Okoren and Jack Zenger sit down with leadership expert Michelle Fabian to explore one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of effective coaching: presence. While many leadership coaching models focus on goal setting, performance gaps, and action plans, this conversation takes a different approach. Michelle shares …
Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust
Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust Mar 10, 2026 15:04 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 assessments revealing how destructive comments about others can quietly undermine a leader’s effectiveness. Based on feedback from hundreds of … Continued The pos
Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore
Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore Feb 25, 2026 12:28 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 realize? In this episode, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Orin Salas, Vice President of Sales at Zenger … Continued The post Episode 182: Does Leadershi
Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026
Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026 Feb 4, 2026 14:15 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 cheaper, one capability is becoming increasingly scarce: human leadership. Drawing on fresh data from tens of thousands of leaders and direct … Continued
Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time
Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time Jan 21, 2026 12:08 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 challenges these assumptions. In this episode of The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast, BreAnne Okoren sits down with renowned … Continu
Episode 179: Strategic Expertise vs. Emotional Intelligence—Which Drives Leadership Success?
Episode 179: Strategic Expertise vs. Emotional Intelligence—Which Drives Leadership Success? Jan 7, 2026 10:11 Details Emotional intelligence has dominated leadership conversations for years—and for good reason. Leaders who listen, empathize, and build strong relationships create healthier, more engaged teams. But what if EQ isn’t the primary capability driving leadership effectiveness? Drawing on a global dataset of 128,000 leaders and 360-degree feedback from over a million raters, they explore what … Co

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