The Dirty Side of Leadership
Where leadership meets entertainment! This weekly podcast disrupts the status quo by discussing hot-button topics that most podcasters are afraid to touch. Ron and Kristin apply their combined 50+ years of real leadership experience and take both a humorous and raw look behind closed doors. Often sharing personal experiences both in the workplace and out, they answer listener questions and breakdown 'dirty lessons' from Ron's best selling book, "The Dirty Side of Leadership".
Episodes
177 episodes
How the Chemicals in the Brain Can Enhance Your Leadership | Throwback Episode
In this throwback episode, Ron and Kristin explore the intricate workings of our brain and the chemicals that can enhance leadership skills. They discuss dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins, testosterone and other aspects of the brain. This episode ...
The Art of Failure | Episode 167
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff explore why failure is an unavoidable part of leadership—and how your response to it determines your future. They discuss the psychology of loss, why some people bec...
The Science of Persuasion: How to Make Anyone Agree With You | Throwback Episode
In this special throwback episode, Ron and Kristin, discuss the science behind the power of persuasion. They break down the steps to help both leaders and aspiring leaders be more effective at home or work. They discuss such principles as...
World Cup Edition: What Hosting the World Cup Reveals About Leadership | Episode 166
The FIFA World Cup is more than the world’s largest sporting event—it’s a global leadership test. Ron and Kristin explore what hosting the tournament reveals about planning, culture, crisis management, public perception, and the psychology of l...
Why Spirit Airlines Failed: The Race to the Bottom | Episode 165
In this episode, Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff explore the rise and decline of Spirit Airlines, examining how a disruptive low-cost strategy transformed the airline industry before ultimately becoming vulnerable to competition. They discuss lea...
The Crash: What Bad Parenting and Teen Culture Can Teach Us About Leadership | Episode 164
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Ron and Kristin discuss the Netflix documentary The Crash and explore the broader lessons surrounding parenting, accountability, emotional resilience, social media, and leadership.Rather ...
The Psychology of Power: Why Good People Become Bad Leaders | Episode 163
Power is one of the most influential—and dangerous—forces in leadership. In this episode, Ron and Kristin examine how authority affects human behavior, why even good people can make poor leadership decisions, and what history, psychology, and n...
The Dirty Side of Nostalgia: When “The Good Ole Days” Start Holding You Back | Episode 162
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Ron and Kristin explore the hidden psychological and neurological dangers of nostalgia. While nostalgia can create comfort, connection, and emotional grounding, it can also quietly trap leaders, ...
Leadership Dynamics in Prisons | Throwback Episode
In this special throwback episode, Ron and Kristin share an inside look into the fascinating world of prison power dynamics with inmates and correctional officers. Specifically, prison code, prison argo/language, inmate leadership hierarchy, pe...
How to Tell a Good Story: Anyone Can Do It | Episode 161
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff break down the psychology and neuroscience behind great storytelling—and why anyone can become a better storyteller.Ron explains how the brain is constantly ...
Toxic Loyalty: Why Good People Stay in Bad Systems | Episode 160
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff unpack the dangerous psychology of toxic loyalty—when good, committed people stay loyal to unhealthy systems long after the warning signs appear. Through real-world ...
Cults: Why People Join and Why They Stay | Episode 159
In this episode, Ron and Kristin break down the psychology behind cults—why people join, why they stay, and why these same influence patterns show up in everyday leadership environments.This isn’t just about extreme groups—it’s about hu...
Burnout: Why the Most Important Jobs Are Breaking People | Episode 158
Burnout is rising fastest in helping professions—healthcare, education, and public service. This episode breaks down why it’s happening and how leadership—not workload—is often the real issue.Key Points:Who’s burning ...
Leadership from the NBA to the Campaign Trail with Chris Dudley | Episode 157
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Ron and Kristin sit down with former Portland Trail Blazer, businessman, and Oregon gubernatorial candidate Chris Dudley. The conversation explores how leadership principles translate across prof...
The Dirty Side of Fraternities: Brotherhood, Leadership, and the Hidden Risks | Episode 156
In this episode, Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff break down the reality of fraternity life—where leadership, connection, and opportunity exist alongside hazing, risk, and tragedy.Key Topics:The Good:Leader...
Dark Psychology at Work: How Manipulation Hides in Plain Sight | Throwback Episode
In this special throwback episode, Ron and Kristin expose how manipulation operates in everyday workplaces — from charm tactics to control games — and how leaders can spot the warning signs.Highlights:The Dark Tria...
Breakdown of the Iran War with Colonel CJ Williams, USMC, Retired | Episode 155
In this episode, Ron and Kristin sit down with returning guest Colonel CJ Williams to break down the rapidly escalating tensions with Iran. CJ provides a clear, strategic lens on what’s happening, why it matters, and how global conflict connect...
Groupthink: When Smart People Stop Thinking | Episode 154
Groupthink isn’t about intelligence—it’s about pressure. In this episode, Ron and Kristin break down how rooms full of smart, experienced people can still make bad decisions when harmony overrides truth. From workplace meetings to politics and ...
EXCLUSIVE: Justin Fulcher DOGE Team Member, and Former Sr Advisor to Secretary Pete Hegseth | Episode 153
Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff talk with Justin Fulcher—entrepreneur, former Senior Advisor to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, member of Elon Musk’s DOGE team, and Johns Hopkins doctoral candidate.Justin shares lessons from building a glo...
Oregon's John Dutton; Leadership Lessons from One of Oregon’s Oldest Families with Tripp Dietrich | Episode 152
What happens when leadership isn’t something you pursue—but something you inherit? In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Kristin Sokoloff and Ron Ward sit down with business owner and eighth-generation Oregonian Howard “Tripp” Dietri...
Leadership Lessons from the Epstein Scandal: Power, Secrecy, and Corruption | Episode 151
In this episode, Ron and Kristin examine the Jeffrey Epstein scandal through a leadership lens—focusing on power, elite networks, secrecy, and institutional failure. This discussion includes sensitive topics involving abuse and exploitation. We...
Hims Under Government Scrutiny: When Super Bowl Marketing Meets DOJ Referral | Episode 150
Hims & Hers returned to the Super Bowl stage with bold messaging around weight-loss treatments — but now faces a formal referral from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Justice over concerns tied to the ma...
The Leadership Libido: Power, Drive, and the Hidden Hunger Behind Ambition | Episode 149
In this bold and unfiltered episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Kristin Sokoloff and Ron Ward unpack a concept no one talks about out loud — leadership libido. Not sexual desire, but the psychological and biological craving that fuels ambi...
Leadership Lessons From Blake Lively Vs. Justin Baldoni | Episode 148
In this episode, Ron and Kristin unpack the leadership and communication lessons behind the highly publicized legal conflict involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. This is not a gossip episode—and not a verdict. Instead, it’s a real-world c...
Will Carr on Purpose Over Performance: Why Success Still Feels Empty | Episode 147
What happens when success stops feeling fulfilling?In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership Podcast, Kristin Sokoloff and Ron Ward sit down with Will Carr — founder of Genesee Nutrition, entrepreneur, former college and professio...