Leading Owls Podcast
The Leading Owls podcast, brought to you by Rice University's Doerr Institute for New Leaders, showcases Rice student, faculty and staff leaders along with leader development professionals and coaches. Each week, we bring you inspiring stories and practical tips from successful student leaders across the Rice campus. Learn about student leadership at Rice University, get tips from current leaders that will help you on your journey, and discover how you can make a real impact on your campus and community. You will hear from presidents, club leaders, social entrepreneurs, and other changemakers on what it takes to be a student leader. Don't miss out on unlocking your full potential as a student leader. Subscribe to the Leading Owls Podcast today for your weekly dose of motivation and leadership insights. New episodes drop every Tuesday!
Leading Owls Podcast
The Biggest Mistake in Leader Development with Dr. Aaron Pomerantz
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Leader development is everywhere—but how do you know it's actually working?
In this episode of Leading Owls, we sit down with Dr. Aaron Pomerantz, Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation at the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University, to explore why measurement is one of the most overlooked—and most important—parts of leader development.
Aaron explains why effective measurement isn't something you add at the end of a program, but something that should be intentionally built into every leadership initiative from the very beginning. He shares common mistakes organizations make, why data is essential for demonstrating impact and ROI, and how evidence-based practices can strengthen leadership programs in higher education, nonprofits, and organizations of every kind.
Whether you are a leadership educator, coach, HR professional, student affairs leader, or simply interested in developing better leaders, this conversation offers practical insights into measuring what matters.
In this episode you'll learn:
- Why leadership measurement is more than surveys and metrics
- The biggest misconceptions about evaluating leadership programs
- How organizations can demonstrate meaningful ROI
- What makes a strong impact assessment plan
- Why evidence-based leader development leads to better decisions
- How the Doerr Institute uses data to continuously improve its programs
- What participants gain from the Demystifying Measurement in Leader Development course
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share so you never miss future conversations with leadership experts.
The Leading Owls Podcast is hosted and produced by the Doerr Institute for New Leaders.
Edited by: Blake C. Hollaway
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