The LEADx Leadership Show with Kevin Kruse

Kevin Kruse built LEADx as a leadership development platform, and his podcast is where he interviews top executives, bestselling authors, and researchers about what actually makes leaders effective in real-world situations. With 369 episodes, a 4.9-star rating from 474 reviews, and a weekly release schedule, this is one of the highest-rated leadership podcasts on Apple Podcasts. Episodes run 23 to 59 minutes, with most landing around the 30-to-40-minute mark. Kruse has interviewed Twilio CEOs about building innovative products, Zen monks about resilience and mindfulness practices, and military leaders about managing teams under extreme pressure. He has a knack for pulling actionable takeaways from guests who might otherwise stay at the theoretical level and never get to the specifics that matter. What makes this particularly useful for new managers is the breadth of topics -- Kruse covers emotional intelligence, productivity systems, difficult conversations, hiring strategies, and culture-building across his deep catalog. His interviewing style is conversational and curious without being softball or fawning. He asks follow-up questions that most interviewers skip, and he is not afraid to push back when answers get vague or sound too rehearsed. The show attracts both new managers looking for fundamentals and experienced leaders wanting fresh perspectives on old problems. If you like learning from the experiences of people who have led large organizations through real challenges, this podcast delivers consistently.