The Leadership Playbook
The Leadership Playbook is a business and leadership podcast produced by Seattle University's Albers School of Business and Economics. Each episode features conversations with top executives from well-known companies about their career journeys, leadership philosophies, and how they overcame major obstacles. The show draws on the university's long-running Speaker Series, which has hosted figures like Howard Schultz, Jim Sinegal, and Steve Ballmer. It offers practical, candid leadership lessons intended for managers and aspiring leaders.
Episodes
From Small Village to Global Industry: The Honda Story
Welcome to Epic Fails, Epic Comebacks: How Great Leaders Turned Setbacks into Success—the podcast where we uncover the true stories of visionary leaders who hit rock bottom … then rewrote the ending. Epic Fails, Epic Comebacks is an offshoot of The Leadership Playbook, the podcast of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics and the Center for Leadership Formation.
In this epis
Game Changers: How Sports Shape Seattle’s Future
Seattle’s identity has long been intertwined with sports, from passionate fan bases and iconic teams to major events that bring the city onto the global stage. As the region continues to grow, the impact of the sports industry extends far beyond the stadium walls—fueling economic development, strengthening community connections, and shaping the city's future. The final Albers Executive Speak
The Journey of a Leader: Lessons from the Navy
In this engaging conversation, Tom McAndrew shares his journey from a Navy veteran to the CEO of cybersecurity company Coalfire, emphasizing the importance of authentic leadership, resilience, and community impact. He reflects on personal experiences that shaped his leadership style, the challenges faced in both military and business environments, and the significance of giving back to the communi
The Mustang, the Minivan, and the Man Who Saw Both Coming
Welcome to Epic Fails, Epic Comebacks: How Great Leaders Turned Setbacks into Success—the podcast where we uncover the true stories of visionary leaders who hit rock bottom … then rewrote the ending. Epic Fails, Epic Comebacks is an offshoot of The Leadership Playbook, the podcast of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics and the Center for Leadership Formation.
In this epis
Unlimited Opportunity: Leading with Humility, Grit, and Care
What happens when someone who never planned on college ends up leading a global logistics company? In this episode, Dan Wall, President and CEO of Expeditors International and alum of Seattle University's Leadership Executive MBA program, reflects on his unlikely path from airport courier to the C-suite.
Dan talks about Expeditors' "unlimited opportunity" culture, why titles don't define impor
The Pivot to CEO: Why Authenticity, Courage, and AI are the New Leadership Playbook
Beverly Anderson, President and CEO of BECU—the fourth-largest credit union in the United States—shares her 30-year leadership journey in financial services on the Albers Executive Speaker Series. From her Kentucky small-town roots learning credit fundamentals at a local corner store to leading a major financial institution, Anderson reveals the career strategies and leadership principles that sha
Proceed Until Apprehended
This live recording of the Albers Executive Speaker Series features Swedish Health Services President and CEO Elizabeth Wako, who outlines her career trajectory in the context of the five leadership principles that have guided her. In the fireside chat with Seattle University President Eduardo Peñalver, she talks about the impact of AI on healthcare, the business challenges generated by tariffs an
Culture is the Only Priority
Recorded in front of a live audience in February 2025, Costco CEO Ron Vachris talks at length about how the organization's culture is the bedrock for the retailer's success. "We always do what's right" is not an arrogant statement, he says, but a commitment to their stakeholders, whether they are customers, shareholders or the communities where they operate. Vachris, the third CEO to helm Costco,
Let Your Life Unfold
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Sunny Gurpreet Singh kicked off the 2024-25 season of the Albers Executive Speaker Series with this recorded fireside chat with Seattle University President Eduardo Peñalver. Singh is the founder of global healthcare technology company Edifecs and the Roundglass organization that supports programs and initiatives in India promoting health, wellness, the environment
People, Planet, Profit—and Purpose
PCC Community Markets CEO Krish Srinivasan closed out the 2023-24 season of the Albers Executive Speaker Series talking about the co-op's history; the challenges they overcame during the pandemic; their mission, vision, and values, and why a statement of equity and inclusion—which may seem rote in today's business world—is particularly meaningful to their business. "The food supply chain in this c
Math and Magic
It was a packed Pigott Auditorium when Taco Bell CEO and MBA alum Sean Tresvant spoke at the Albers Executive Speaker Series. Tresvant, the first Black CEO of the $16 billion QSR brand, talked about his journey from university to the top position at Taco Bell, lessons he learned along the way, and how he saw marketing for the future: "It's both math and magic."
Hosted by Joseph M. Phillips, dean
Leadership is About Learning, Collaboration, and Embracing Change
"You want to be a leader? Then you must be a sponge." Virginia Mason Franciscan Health CEO Ketul Patel told the audience at the Albers Executive Speaker Series that learning is core to leadership success, along with building relationships and leaning into change. Healthcare continues to face challenges, among them workforce shortages and the entry of Wall Street, but he is optimistic
The Regime Change of Our Times
Most recessions are not all hands-on-deck, everything-stops-at-once collapses." RSM US Deputy Chief Economist and Industry Analyst Program Leader Kevin Depew talks to Albers Dean Joe Phillips about the economy, domestic and global, and prospects for inflation. Recorded in August 2023, Depew elaborates on why he doesn't think a recession is guaranteed and how the regime change the world is experien
The Challenge and Promise of NIL
In April of this year, Albers' MBA in Sport and Entertainment Management hosted the Pacific Northwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business' regional conference here in Seattle. Among the sessions was a highly anticipated panel discussion on NIL.
NIL (name, image, likeness) refers to the rights of college athletes to profit from their personal brands as mandated by an NCAA policy that went into eff
Renaissance Man
Management professor Bill Weis sat down with Albers dean Joe Phillips to talk about how he became the school's longest serving faculty member with 50 years of teaching under his belt. In this half-century, Weis became the standard bearer of banning smoking in the workplace; brought worldwide attention to an obscure 15th century Italian friar; and started an adventure-based leadership course that b
Bringing the World to Seattle, and Seattle to the World
The FIFA World Cup is the world's largest sporting event, 14% bigger than the Olympics in audience size and six times the size of the Super Bowl's 175 million viewers. And it's coming to Seattle in 2026 as the city becomes one of 16 North American locations chosen to host several games. How do cities pitch for sporting events of this size? What is the economic impact of occasions like this?
Peter
Leading With Purpose
In his book 'Running with Purpose: How Brooks Outpaced Goliath Competitors to Lead the Pack', Brooks Running Company CEO Jim Weber shared how he led a passionate, committed team to transform a failing business into a billion-dollar brand in the ultra-competitive global running market. Brooks' success caught the attention of Warren Buffett, who declared it a standalone subsidiary company of Berkshi
Economic Allyship: Bridging the Gap Between Intention and Action
Intentionalist founder and CEO Laura Clise makes the call for thinking small – small business, to be specific. In this episode, she talks about how we can all be part of the solution to economic inequality, racial injustice, and the fraying of our social fabric by being more intentional about where we eat, drink, and shop. As Clise puts it, 'Economic allyship is a powerful way to translate our goo
The New Return on Experience (ROE): Redefining the Fan Experience
How is the highest-ranking female business executive in baseball looking to revitalize one of Seattle's most loved sports franchises? Catie Griggs, President of Business Operations for the Seattle Mariners, joined the Albers Executive Speaker Series in April to talk about her vision. For her, it boils down to a renewed focus on the fan experience that's grounded on three principles: winning their
Harriet Stephenson: All Business From Day One
For Albers' 75th year, Dean Joe Phillips sat down with the iconic Harriet Stephenson, a business professor who taught at Albers from 1967 to 2014. Stephenson, one of the few female business PhDs in her time, founded what is now the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) and won many awards for her teaching and her work in social entrepreneurship and small business management.
Phillips aske
Beyond Net Zero Carbon by 2045
In this recording of a November 2021 live panel, Puget Sound Energy CEO Mary E. Kipp talked about the dual utility's journey toward its goal of net zero carbon emissions, including natural gas sold to customers, by 2045.
A big challenge, as Kipp explained, is 'how do you optimize existing assets to make sure you decarbonize as quickly as you can and not leave anyone behind?' To meet its goal, PSE
Go Do. Go Try. Go Challenge.
REI Co-op President & CEO Eric Artz emphasized values and impact in this recording of the first live Albers Executive Speaker Series panel in 18 months.
With an ambitious goal to grow membership from 20 million to 50 million, Artz said their aspiration is to grow a community of 50 million who are engaged and fighting for pressing societal issues we face today such as climate change and racial
Looking Back on 24 Years of Leadership
A panel of three former Seattle University Board of Trustees Chairs – Phyllis Campbell, Jim Sinegal, and Steve Hooper – ask outgoing SU President Father Steve Sundborg about his leadership insights, the most challenging moments in the 24 years he led SU, his post-retirement plans, and how he sees the university in the future. The panel also announces the creation of the Stephen V. Sundborg, SJ End
Learning is a Continuous Journey
Challenge Seattle CEO and former Washington Governor Christine Gregoire talks to Albers Dean Joe Phillips about her experience navigating a recession, the initiatives she is spearheading in response to last year's racial unrest, and her advice for students graduating in a pandemic. The common thread throughout the episode is being open to learning throughout one's lifetime. 'Whatever you end up do
Breaking Through the Clouds and Finding the Blue Sky
Alaska Air Group chairman Brad Tilden, who retired as CEO in March, reflects on the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned in the nine years he led the Seattle-based airline. The self-confessed airline geek who 'loves the smell of jet fuel in the morning' talks about transcending the pandemic, what he is most proud of during his time as Alaska CEO, and how to spot the right talent for the airli
The Path to Achievement Starts with Building Your Runway
Retail Lockbox President and CEO Craig Dawson knew he wanted to go into business when he was four years old. In this episode, he talks about how he is leveraging his experience as a Black business owner and leader in heading up the Washington Roundtable and Washington Employers for Racial Equity, how he feels strongly about championing Black business, and the advice he would give to young professi
Leader Humility and Its Surprising Role in Organizational Success
Seattle University Emeritus Professor, thought leader, and author Marilyn Gist talks about her seminal work on leading with humility and how it underpins success in the best performing organizations. Gist defines leader humility as 'feeling and displaying deep regard for others' dignity'. Her research shows that contrary to the perception that it denotes weakness, leader humility builds a strong c
Seeking the Spark in Everything
‘Talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not.’ When the pandemic hit, K-8 digital math program DreamBox Learning opened its platform for free to schools and parents, providing a much-needed resource during trying times. President, CEO, and Board Chair Jessie Woolley-Wilson talks about COVID being a pivotal moment for DreamBox, the future of education technology, and the challenges she has f
Wanted: Contrarians, Disruptors, and Do-gooders
‘Seek businesses that are built on principle or go and build one of your own.’ In January 2020, the Albers Executive Speaker Series hosted Accolade CEO Rajeev Singh, one of the Pacific Northwest’s most successful entrepreneurs. During his talk, he shared his guidepost for his every decision, other highly successful innovators who embrace beliefs that contradict the current orthodoxy, and how to re
Leadership and Culture: A Panel Discussion with 3 Former Boeing CEOs
For the first time ever, three former CEOs from Boeing were on a panel discussing their experiences in leadership and culture during their executive tenures. The Albers Executive Speaker Series hosted Frank Shrontz, Alan Mulally, and Ray Conner in October 2018, asking them a host of questions from the challenges they faced in running Boeing to what advice they'd give students aspiring to senior le
How Diversity is Building a Better Apptio
Embracing diversity in everything from hiring practices to choosing office locations has had multiple benefits for SaaS solutions provider Apptio. Co-founder and CEO Sunny Gupta explains how ‘opening our aperture’ has not only strengthened their culture, it also enabled the Bellevue-based firm to recover faster from the initial impact of COVID-19 on their business.
Hosted by Joseph M. Phillips, d
Bringing Hockey Back to the Northwest
In October 2019, Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke spoke to a packed Pigott Auditorium about building a successful sports franchise, reviving the Key Arena (now known as Climate Pledge Arena), and what brought him back to Seattle: ‘At the end of the day, you have to believe in the fans’. Followers of hockey and the business of sport will enjoy this throwback episode where Leiweke enthralls and inspir
Performance, Product, and People
As the pandemic deepened in the US, Trek Bikes saw a surge in bicycle sales, especially among new riders. CEO John Burke talks about how this trend has impacted their business, the opportunities presented by e-bikes and new technology, and how to thrive in a family-owned business. He also elaborates on his 16 nonpartisan solutions to save America, as written in his Presidential Playbook 2020.
Hos
Sneak Preview: Apptio CEO Sunny Gupta
Listen to a sneak preview of The Leadership Playbook featuring Sunny Gupta, CEO of Apptio.
Hosted by Joseph M. Phillips, dean of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics, The Leadership Playbook asks top executives from the business world's most recognizable brands and companies about the stories behind their success, their leadership secrets, and the biggest obstacles they've
Sneak Preview: Microsoft CFO Amy Hood on What It Means to be a Leader
Listen to a sneak preview of The Leadership Playbook featuring Amy Hood, CFO of Microsoft.
Hosted by Joseph M. Phillips, dean of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics, The Leadership Playbook asks top executives from the business world's most recognizable brands and companies about the stories behind their success, their leadership secrets, and the biggest obstacles they've
Sneak Preview: Trek Bikes CEO John Burke
Listen to a sneak preview of the very first episode of The Leadership Playbook featuring John Burke, CEO of Trek Bikes. The complete episode drops on Monday, October 26, 2020.
Hosted by Joseph M. Phillips, dean of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics, The Leadership Playbook asks top executives from the business world's most recognizable brands and companies about the stor
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