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The Experimental Leader

The Experimental Leader

Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford 173 Episodes Oct 13, 2026

The Experimental Leader is a podcast for business owners, executives, team leaders, aspiring leaders, scientists, and design thinkers who want to approach leadership as an ongoing experiment. Hosted by Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford, it explores how leaders test ideas in their own work through real-life conversations. Episodes examine topics such as managing workflow and throughput, handling bottlenecks, defining mission and strategy, organizing experiments, and learning from both success and failure. The show also addresses the loneliness of leadership and the challenge of leading without a ready-made roadmap.

Episodes

Accountability Starts Within with JD Johnson
Accountability Starts Within with JD Johnson Oct 13, 2026 1024 What if becoming a better leader starts with looking inward?In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford sit down with JD Johnson to explore personal accountability, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership. They discuss why understanding your values, motivations, and emotional triggers is essential to leading yourself and others effectively.JD
Skill Up: Communicating Through the Holidays
Skill Up: Communicating Through the Holidays Oct 2, 2026 341 In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how communication is a leadership skill we can continually develop to navigate different priorities, expectations, and responsibilities.From coordinating family holiday plans to managing workplace schedules and holiday coverage, clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings, reduce tension, and
Traps and Tricks: When to Ask, When to Decide
Traps and Tricks: When to Ask, When to Decide Sep 24, 2026 667 When should a leader ask for input, and when is it better to simply make the decision?In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the trickier parts of leadership: knowing when collaboration is helpful and when asking for input can actually create confusion, frustration, or a false sense of shared decision-making.They unpack the difference b
Rethinking Age in the Workplace with Dan Pontefract
Rethinking Age in the Workplace with Dan Pontefract Sep 8, 2026 1773 What if one of the biggest untapped resources in today’s workplace isn’t technology, but experience?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford sit down with leadership strategist and author Dan Pontefract to rethink age, experience, longevity, and the future of work.This conversation invites leaders to ask an important question: What could your organization gain
Skill Up: Leadership at the Dinner Table
Skill Up: Leadership at the Dinner Table Sep 4, 2026 883 Leadership doesn’t stop when the meeting ends. Sometimes, it shows up around the dinner table.In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how leaders can intentionally shape informal gatherings, business dinners, and social events to create connection, inclusion, and meaningful conversation.From choosing the right seating arrangement to managing alcoho
Traps and Tricks: Turning Employee Exits into Cultural Wins
Traps and Tricks: Turning Employee Exits into Cultural Wins Aug 27, 2026 356 What happens to your organizational culture when a valued employee leaves?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the often-overlooked moments in leadership: how we handle employee departures. Even when an exit is complicated by frustration, conflict, or disappointment, the way leaders respond sends a powerful message to the people who remain.Me
Digital Detox & Thoughtload with Liane Davey
Digital Detox & Thoughtload with Liane Davey Aug 11, 2026 2062 What if feeling overwhelmed isn’t really about your workload but your thought load?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford sit down with leadership expert Liane Davey to explore the invisible mental and emotional demands that can leave leaders and teams feeling depleted, distracted, and overwhelmed.Liane introduces the concept of thought load, which goes beyon
Skill Up: Hiring Beyond Your Bias
Skill Up: Hiring Beyond Your Bias Aug 7, 2026 631 Are you hiring people who truly fit the role or simply people who feel familiar?In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Mel Rutherford and Melanie Parish explore one of the most common leadership traps: hiring people who think, work, and lead just like you. While it may feel comfortable, it can limit innovation, collaboration, and long-term organizational success.Melanie shares how lea
Traps and Tricks: Vision vs. Volume
Traps and Tricks: Vision vs. Volume Jul 30, 2026 631 What happens when everything is a priority?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the most common leadership traps: creating urgency without providing clarity. When leaders assign too much work without clear priorities, employees are left to sort through competing demands, often leading to stress, rework, and reduced productivity.Melanie shares
The Hidden Cost of Unclear Expectations with Georgia Thomas
The Hidden Cost of Unclear Expectations with Georgia Thomas Jul 14, 2026 918 Unclear expectations can quietly undermine even the strongest teams. Miscommunication, frustration, reduced accountability, and stalled growth often stem from one overlooked leadership challenge: a lack of clarity.In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish, MCC, and Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC, welcome Georgia Thomas, former corporate lawyer, entrepreneur, and multi-business fo
Traps and Tricks: From Breakdown to Breakthrough
Traps and Tricks: From Breakdown to Breakthrough Jun 30, 2026 1148 What if your biggest leadership challenge becomes your greatest opportunity?In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore how unexpected setbacks can become "lucky disasters" when leaders approach them with curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to adapt. Through personal stories—including an ice storm that sent a tree crashing into a swimming pool
Leading on the Glass Cliff with Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC
Leading on the Glass Cliff with Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC Jun 16, 2026 1031 In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish speaks with Dr. Mel Rutherford about leading through crisis, identity, and organizational transformation, drawing from his book The Glass Cliff: One Trans Man’s Leadership Odyssey.The conversation explores the “glass cliff” phenomenon, where leaders from marginalized groups are often placed into high-risk leadership roles during pe

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