The 12 Best Leadership Podcasts (2026)

Craig Groeschel built Life.Church into one of the largest churches in America, and his leadership podcast distills decades of organizational experience into monthly episodes that regularly land in the top business charts. The numbers speak for themselves: 10,600+ ratings with a 4.9 average on Apple Podcasts. That kind of listener loyalty is rare. Each episode runs 20 to 60 minutes, and Groeschel alternates between solo teaching sessions and interviews with leaders from business, sports, and ministry. He offers downloadable leader guides with every episode, which makes this genuinely useful for team discussions and small group study. His style is direct and framework-heavy. Expect clear models you can sketch on a whiteboard: how to structure your week, how to delegate without micromanaging, how to build a leadership pipeline. The Christian perspective is present but never preachy, and listeners across secular and faith-based organizations consistently say the content translates well to any professional setting. Groeschel has a talent for making complex organizational challenges feel approachable without dumbing them down. The monthly release schedule means you get quality over quantity, and each episode clearly receives significant preparation. If you lead a team of any size and want practical scaffolding for how to think about leadership, this one delivers consistently.

Brene Brown's Dare to Lead podcast takes her bestselling research on vulnerability and courage and applies it directly to leadership challenges. The show has 86 episodes, a 4.6 rating, and is distributed through Vox Media Podcast Network. Brown's approach to leadership is distinctive: she argues that the most effective leaders are the ones willing to be uncomfortable, have hard conversations, and show up without armor. Episodes tend to be conversational and reflective rather than tactical. A notable recent series paired Brown with Adam Grant for six episodes exploring bold leadership during instability, which produced some of the sharpest exchanges in the show's run. Other episodes include Ask Me Anything sessions and deep dives into concepts from her books, like the "Above/Below the Line" self-awareness framework. Brown is a gifted storyteller who weaves research into personal narrative with ease. The show is best suited for leaders who are already competent at the tactical side of management and want to work on the emotional and relational dimensions. Some listeners find certain episodes more introspective than actionable, and that is a fair observation. This is not a show that gives you a checklist. It gives you a way of thinking about leadership that prioritizes human connection, which can be harder to implement but ultimately more transformative.

John Maxwell has been writing about leadership since the 1970s, and this podcast extends his teaching into a weekly audio format with 444 episodes and a 4.7 rating from over 2,300 reviews. The structure follows a consistent pattern: Maxwell delivers a core lesson, then co-host Mark Cole and occasional guests unpack it through discussion. Each episode comes with a downloadable worksheet, which makes it easy to take notes or bring the material into a team setting. Maxwell's approach is principles-based. He favors timeless ideas about influence, self-awareness, and empowerment over trendy management frameworks. Some episodes feel like condensed versions of his bestselling books, which is either a feature or a bug depending on how familiar you are with his work. The show connects to Maxwell Leadership's broader ecosystem of online courses and certification programs, so you will occasionally hear cross-promotion. Listeners who enjoy the content will find plenty of depth to explore beyond the podcast itself. The delivery is warm and mentor-like, with Maxwell sharing personal stories from decades of consulting with executives and nonprofit leaders. For anyone building a leadership foundation or looking to reinforce core principles they already know but struggle to practice consistently, this remains a reliable weekly resource.

HBR IdeaCast carries the weight of the Harvard Business Review brand, and it mostly lives up to it. Hosted by Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch, this weekly show runs about 25 to 35 minutes per episode and pulls from HBR's deep bench of researchers, authors, and business thinkers. The format is straightforward: one guest, one topic, one focused conversation. You get episodes on AI strategy one week, organizational psychology the next, then maybe a deep look at how CEOs navigate crises. With over 649 episodes in the archive, the back catalog alone is a management education. The hosts ask sharp questions without grandstanding, which keeps things moving. Recent additions include a biweekly "Tech at Work" series and a "Future of Business" interview strand with sitting CEOs. The show pulls a 4.3 rating from over 1,700 reviews on Apple Podcasts, which is solid if not spectacular. Some listeners wish the editorial direction stayed more grounded in research rather than trending topics. Still, if you want one podcast that consistently connects academic management thinking to real-world leadership decisions, this is the gold standard. The production quality is polished but never stuffy, and each episode leaves you with at least one idea worth testing in your next team meeting.

Simon Sinek became famous for "Start With Why" and his TED Talk on leadership, and A Bit of Optimism is where he extends those ideas through weekly conversations. The show has 210 episodes, a 4.8 rating from nearly 2,000 reviews, and a guest list that ranges from Matthew McConaughey and Mel Robbins to researchers and educators you have never heard of. That mix is intentional. Sinek is interested in what drives people to find meaning in their work, and he looks for answers in unexpected places. Episodes run 44 minutes to over an hour, and the format is pure conversation. No scripts, no segments, just Sinek and a guest exploring a topic together. The tone is warmer and more personal than his TED appearances might suggest. Some listeners note that Sinek occasionally whispers in a way that makes portions hard to hear, and he has a tendency to interrupt guests mid-thought. These are real drawbacks. But the conversations themselves frequently surface insights about purpose, motivation, and human connection that translate directly to how you lead a team. The show does not give you management tactics. It reframes how you think about why leadership matters in the first place, which for some listeners is exactly what they need.

Patrick Lencioni wrote "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" and several other books that have become required reading in management circles, and this podcast feels like a behind-the-scenes extension of that work. The format is conversational: Patrick and co-host Cody Thompson sit down biweekly to talk through a leadership topic, usually pulling from real situations they've encountered in their consulting work at The Table Group. Episodes are refreshingly short, typically 15 to 30 minutes, and they get to the point fast. Recent discussions have tackled workplace isolation, high achiever burnout, the problem with over-relying on data for decisions, and how remote work politics actually play out in organizations. Patrick has a dry sense of humor that keeps things from getting too heavy, even when the topics are serious. What separates this from other leadership podcasts is the specificity. Patrick doesn't just say "trust matters." He walks through what trust-building looks like in a Monday morning meeting, how to handle the team member who's technically excellent but relationally destructive, and why some leaders mistake efficiency for effectiveness. With 270 episodes and a 4.8-star rating from over 1,100 reviews, the show has found a loyal audience among managers who want actionable advice without the filler. The biweekly schedule means you're not drowning in content, and each episode feels like it was made because they had something worth saying rather than because a calendar said it was time to publish.

Dave Stachowiak has been hosting Coaching for Leaders since 2011, and the show has quietly become one of the most respected leadership podcasts around. With 777 episodes, over 50 million downloads, and a 4.8 rating from nearly 1,400 reviews, the track record is impressive. Stachowiak draws on his experience leading a global leadership academy and over 15 years with Dale Carnegie, and it shows in how he interviews. He asks questions that go beyond surface-level advice. Each Monday, a new 30 to 40 minute episode drops, typically featuring a bestselling author or expert practitioner. The conversations tackle the messy middle of leadership: what to do when your old strategies stop working, how to navigate organizational politics without losing yourself, how to communicate when the stakes are high. The show also offers a free membership with searchable access to the full episode library by topic, which is a thoughtful touch for listeners who want to study specific challenges. A premium tier adds downloadable interview notes and related episode recommendations. The production is clean and independent, with no network overhead diluting the content. Stachowiak comes across as genuinely curious rather than performative, and guests tend to open up in ways they might not on flashier shows.

Carey Nieuwhof has hosted over 811 episodes of this weekly leadership podcast, earning a 4.8 rating from more than 2,200 reviews. His guest list reads like a who's who of leadership thinking: Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, Patrick Lencioni, and Craig Groeschel have all appeared, alongside dozens of lesser-known but equally insightful leaders. Nieuwhof originally came from church leadership, but the podcast has evolved into something much broader. The conversations cover burnout, organizational change, team culture, personal growth, and the practical mechanics of leading through uncertainty. Each episode includes full show notes, transcripts, and curated resources on the episode's website page. Nieuwhof's interviewing style is what makes the show stand out. He asks personal questions that get guests talking about their actual struggles, not just their highlight reels. Listeners consistently mention that the show makes both the host and guests feel human and relatable. The production comes through the Art of Leadership Network and maintains high audio quality throughout. For leaders who learn best through conversation and storytelling rather than frameworks and checklists, this is an excellent weekly companion. The depth of the archive means you can search for almost any leadership challenge and find a relevant episode.

The EntreLeadership Podcast comes from the Ramsey Network, hosted by Dave Ramsey, who built Ramsey Solutions into a company with hundreds of employees and multiple media properties. The show has 640 episodes, a 4.7 rating from over 4,200 reviews, and a distinctive format: many episodes feature live caller questions where Ramsey coaches business owners and managers through specific problems in real time. That call-in structure gives the show an energy and specificity that scripted podcasts lack. You hear real people wrestling with cash flow decisions, hiring dilemmas, and leadership failures, and Ramsey responds with blunt, experience-based advice. Episode lengths vary dramatically, from 7-minute tactical tips to hour-long deep conversations. Ramsey's style is confident and opinionated, which some listeners love and others find overbearing. His business philosophy leans conservative, emphasizing debt-free growth, strong culture, and personal accountability. The show is part of a larger EntreLeadership brand that includes conferences and coaching programs, so expect some cross-promotion. Recent episodes cover team motivation, scaling operations, and navigating economic uncertainty. For small business owners and entrepreneurs who are simultaneously building a company and learning to lead people, the show hits a practical sweet spot that more academic leadership podcasts miss entirely.

Andy Stanley founded North Point Ministries, one of the largest church organizations in the country, and his leadership podcast distills the organizational principles he's used to build and sustain that operation. With 235 episodes and a 4.6-star rating from over 2,200 reviews, the show has earned recognition from Forbes as one of its recommended leadership podcasts. Episodes range from focused 12-minute segments to longer 50-minute conversations, and they release weekly. The format mixes solo teaching with interview episodes featuring guests like Charles Duhigg and other leadership thinkers. Andy's style is clear and structured. He presents ideas in a way that feels like a well-prepared talk rather than an off-the-cuff conversation, which means you walk away with frameworks you can remember and apply. Recent topics have included psychological safety in teams, how leaders deal with anxiety and reactivity, the relationship between vision and organizational focus, and practical approaches to delegation. Andy has a particular strength in talking about how leaders can maintain their values while still being effective in complex organizational environments. He doesn't pretend those two things are always easy to balance. The show's tagline is about helping leaders "go further, faster," and it delivers on that promise through consistent, well-organized episodes that respect your time. If you're looking for leadership content that's thoughtful and principled without being preachy, Andy strikes that balance well. His decades of leading a large organization give him credibility that purely academic leadership voices often lack.

Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos co-host The Leadership Podcast with a formula that has held up remarkably well across 509 episodes: interview great leaders, review the books they read, and speak with the authors who study them. The show holds a 4.9 rating from 100 reviews, and while the review count is modest compared to celebrity-driven shows, the quality of the conversations is consistently high. Episodes run 28 to 48 minutes and cover contemporary leadership challenges including AI implementation, building resilience, accountability structures, and organizational transformation. Rutherford brings a military and adventure background, while Vaselopulos adds corporate and entrepreneurial experience. Together they ask questions that push past rehearsed talking points and into genuinely useful territory. Each episode includes key takeaways, quotable insights, and curated resource lists, which makes it easy to share specific episodes with your team. The show works best for mid-career leaders who are past the basics and looking for more nuanced thinking about how to lead during complexity and change. The hosts are not trying to build a media empire or sell you a course. They are genuinely trying to learn from their guests, and that authentic curiosity makes the conversations feel more like peer discussions than polished media appearances.

The Global Leadership Network has been curating leadership content for 30 years through their Global Leadership Summit, which reaches over 350,000 leaders annually. This podcast extends that mission into a more accessible format. Hosted by David Ashcraft and Whitney Putnam, episodes feature interviews with the kind of speakers you'd normally need a conference ticket to hear. Past guests include Craig Groeschel, Coach K, Erin Meyer, Marcus Buckingham, and Jon Acuff. With about 100 episodes across nine seasons, the catalog is manageable enough to work through without feeling overwhelmed. Episodes run 25 to 50 minutes and release twice a month, which gives each conversation room to breathe. Recent topics have covered innovation, digital communication strategies for leaders, procrastination and goal achievement, and what it means to be a bridge-building leader in a polarized environment. The show positions itself around a core idea: you already have influence right where you are. That framing shifts the conversation away from aspirational leadership theory and toward practical application in whatever context you're working in. David and Whitney bring warmth to their interviewing style, and the production quality is solid throughout. The 4.5-star rating from 263 reviews reflects a growing audience that appreciates the show's accessibility. It doesn't assume you're a CEO or executive. The content is designed for leaders at every level, from a team lead managing three people to a nonprofit director trying to expand their reach. If you attend or follow the Global Leadership Summit, this podcast keeps that learning going year-round.