High Octane Leadership
By Donald Thompson
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Category: Management
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Episodes: 175
Description
Future-proof your leadership with High Octane Leadership, a place where business leaders—whether by title or aspiration—share cheat codes for unlocking workplace excellence, lessons learned along the way, and insider tips for future generations of next-level professionals. With a career rooted in building people and businesses, Donald Thompson is an award-winning CEO, speaker, and author who empowers leaders to scale with purpose. Over the last 25 years, he has helped startups and enterprises alike drive cultural change, unlock performance, and deliver exceptional results through strategic leadership.
Find him on LinkedIn, and listen here to learn how you can become future-proof too.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
|
Managing the "Uncoachable" Employee | Bob Bachelor
|
Mar 26, 2026 |
|
The Curiosity Crisis: Why "I Don't Know" is a Leader’s Most Powerful Move | Dr. Debra Clary
|
Mar 12, 2026 |
|
Why Leaders Avoid Mental Health Conversations | Dr. Kennette Thigpen
|
Jan 22, 2026 |
|
Why Persuasion Isn’t a Dirty Word and How to Use It Effectively | J.C Abdallah
|
Jan 08, 2026 |
|
Proximity = Power: The Hidden Key to Building Unshakeable Team Trust | Bianca Freedman
|
Dec 25, 2025 |
|
How to Win in the AI Era | James Forrest
|
Dec 18, 2025 |
|
High Performance Leadership in the Age of AI: Building Self Aware Teams and Meaningful Workplaces
|
Dec 04, 2025 |
|
Slow Down to Speed Up: The Leadership Cheat Code for Culture and Trust
|
Nov 20, 2025 |
|
The End of SEO: Inside the Lead Flow Crisis | Greg Boone
|
Nov 06, 2025 |
|
Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail: How Smart AI Adoption Drives Business Growth | Greg Boone of WalkWest
|
Oct 23, 2025 |
|
Why AI Fears Kill Innovation: How Leaders Turn Resistance into 97% Success
|
Oct 02, 2025 |
|
Proximity = Power: The Hidden Key to Building Unshakeable Team Trust | Bianca Freedman
|
Sep 11, 2025 |
|
From World Cup Pitch to Community Impact: Inside the Pinto Futball Foundation Revolution | Brianna Pinto
|
Aug 28, 2025 |
|
The $40K Secret: Why Executive Thought Leadership Beats Million-Dollar Ad Budgets | Bob Batchelor
|
Aug 14, 2025 |
|
From Athletes to Executives: Making Bold Moves in Business | Drew Turner
|
Jul 31, 2025 |
|
Turning Personal Insight into Collective Team Brilliance | Emily Best
|
Jul 17, 2025 |
|
Leadership Rewired: Bridging the Gap with Gen Z
|
Jul 02, 2025 |
|
Preventing Alzheimer’s: The Startup That Could Change Everything
|
Jun 19, 2025 |
|
Build Your Brand Before You Walk in the Room
|
Jun 05, 2025 |
|
Building Cultures That Win: How Employee Engagement Fuels Business Success with Amri B. Johnson
|
May 01, 2025 |
|
Leading with Kindness: Building a High-Performance Culture Without Burnout with Gui Costin
|
Apr 17, 2025 |
|
The Power of Perspective: How Paula Jackler Launched Ozzie to Revolutionize Financial Wellness
|
Apr 03, 2025 |
|
AI and Leadership: Hype, Fear, or Transformational Power?
|
Mar 20, 2025 |
|
Leadership Strategies in a Changing Political Landscape
|
Mar 06, 2025 |
|
Brand You: Mastering Thought Leadership and Executive Authenticity with Bob Batchelor
|
Jan 23, 2025 |
|
Cheat Codes for Leaders: Donald's Playbook for High-Octane Success
|
Jan 16, 2025 |
|
Rebranding DEI: Lessons from Toyota, Ford, and Smarter Business Strategies
|
Dec 13, 2024 |
|
Behind the Leadership Curtain with Bob Batchelor
|
Nov 12, 2024 |
|
How to Drive Culture During Chaos
|
Oct 25, 2024 |
|
Inclusive Leadership Strategies for Thriving in a Changing World
|
Oct 17, 2024 |
|
Managing Your Time Like a Corporate Athlete: The High Cost of Overscheduling
|
Sep 05, 2024 |
|
Competitive Excellence with 22-Time National Champion Anson Dorrance
|
Aug 14, 2024 |
|
Employee Engagement as a Workplace Growth Catalyst
|
Jun 20, 2024 |
|
Storytelling's Role in Driving DEI Initiatives
|
Jun 13, 2024 |
|
Roar into Leadership: The Guide to Finding Your Voice
|
Jun 06, 2024 |
|
The Secret to Inclusive Leadership
|
May 30, 2024 |
|
The High Performer’s Wellness Roadmap
|
May 23, 2024 |
|
Strategies for Cultivating Engaged Employees
|
May 16, 2024 |
|
Navigating the Highs and Lows of Leadership
|
May 09, 2024 |
|
Reframing Failure: Transforming Setbacks into Stepping Stones
|
May 02, 2024 |
|
Strategies for Thriving in the Boundaryless World of Entrepreneurship
|
Apr 25, 2024 |
|
Managing Up: Strategies for CEO-Level Leadership
|
Apr 18, 2024 |
|
Scaling from Zero to 1M: The CEO's Role
|
Apr 11, 2024 |
|
Scaling from Zero to 1M: The Blueprint for Entrepreneurial Success
|
Apr 04, 2024 |
|
Mastering the Art of Negotiation
|
Mar 28, 2024 |
|
Guaranteed Ways to Rev Up Your Team's Success
|
Mar 20, 2024 |
|
Unlocking Leadership Fairness: High Octane Leadership Joins Living Corporate Network
|
Mar 14, 2024 |
|
How to Perfect the Art of Feedback
|
Mar 13, 2024 |
|
How to Master Delegation and Supercharge Your Leadership Impact
|
Mar 06, 2024 |
|
Selling to the C-Suite: Conversations That Deliver Business Results
|
Feb 28, 2024 |
|
Mastering Mindful Decisions: Navigating Choices with Six Hats
|
Feb 21, 2024 |
|
DEI Under Fire: Confronting Backlash, Embracing Critics
|
Feb 14, 2024 |
|
Decoding Hybrid Work Realities
|
Feb 07, 2024 |
|
How Coaching Unlocks Leadership Excellence
|
Jan 31, 2024 |
|
The Five Pillars of Personal Branding
|
Jan 24, 2024 |
|
Success Unlocked: Mastering Goal Setting and Achievement
|
Jan 17, 2024 |
|
Real Talk: Winning Strategies in Business
|
Jan 10, 2024 |
|
Unlocking the Power of Cultural Competency with TDM LeaderView
|
Nov 29, 2023 |
|
Unlocking the Power of AI Made Simple with Rajeev Kapur
|
Nov 08, 2023 |
|
Shifting from Stress to Zone of Genius: A Conversation with Hannah Abad
|
Oct 11, 2023 |
|
Shaping Inclusive Excellence: Insights from Chief Experience Officer Jamie Ousterout
|
Sep 27, 2023 |
|
From Sales to C-Suite: Navigating Leadership Growth
|
Sep 13, 2023 |
|
Authentic Leadership and Organizational Success, with Kevin Ragin
|
Aug 30, 2023 |
|
Strategies for Effective DEI Initiatives in Business: From Diversity Metrics to Authentic Inclusion
|
Aug 16, 2023 |
|
Empowering People, Elevating Business: A DEI Discussion with Shelley Willingham
|
Aug 02, 2023 |
|
Debunking DEI Misconceptions: Building a Culture of Empowerment and Inclusion
|
Jul 19, 2023 |
|
From Resistance to Celebration: Exploring Pride Month and LGBTQ+ Perspectives
|
Jun 28, 2023 |
|
Empathy in Leadership vs Bottom-Line Results
|
Dec 14, 2022 |
|
Coaching the Next Generation of Leaders, with Walk West CEO Abha Bowers and Executive Coach Ravila Gupta
|
Dec 07, 2022 |
|
The Epidemic of Average (Solo Episode)
|
Nov 30, 2022 |
|
BONUS: Easterseals UCP: Helping thousands living with disabilities & mental health conditions live their best life
|
Nov 23, 2022 |
|
How to become an Empathetic Leader, with Hacking HR's Enrique Rubio
|
Nov 16, 2022 |
|
Takeaways from the Black Men XCEL Summit
|
Nov 09, 2022 |
|
Politics in the Workplace: How Leaders Keep Teams Focused, with Billy Warden
|
Nov 02, 2022 |
|
Workforce Diversity in Pro Sports, with Timberwolves CDO Tru Pettigrew
|
Oct 26, 2022 |
|
Interrupt Imposter Syndrome and Own Your Success, with Teresa Sande
|
Oct 19, 2022 |
|
Son of a Football Coach: Lessons Learned from My Dad
|
Oct 12, 2022 |
|
Imposter Syndrome: What Leaders Can Do About Feeling Inadequate
|
Oct 05, 2022 |
|
How Transformational Coaching Unlocked Larry Long Jr's Full Potential
|
Sep 28, 2022 |
|
Quiet Quitting: A Real Concern or Media Manipulation?
|
Sep 21, 2022 |
|
NC Courage's Brianna Pinto: Empowering the next generation of female athletes
|
Sep 14, 2022 |
|
High Octane Leadership with Donald Thompson, New Season
|
Sep 07, 2022 |
|
Improve Your Readiness for International Business Relationships (mini-episode)
|
Jun 08, 2022 |
|
Business in the Nations’ Capital - More than just politics with Angela Franco from the DC Chamber
|
Jun 01, 2022 |
|
Not here for mediocrity - Advancing big dreams with Greg Brown & Brandon Wolfe
|
May 25, 2022 |
|
Tackling the world's business challenges, with Dr. Brandi Baldwin of Millennial Ventures
|
May 18, 2022 |
|
View from the C-Suite: Executive Leadership Lessons from Donald Thompson
|
May 11, 2022 |
|
40s & Fearless: Triangle leaders you should follow
|
May 04, 2022 |
|
M&F Bank CEO James Sills on Wealth Gap Reduction and Community Building
|
Apr 27, 2022 |
|
Learning to Lead (Compilation Episode)
|
Jul 07, 2021 |
|
Tedx Founder Lara Stein: How Courageous Leadership can Prevent the Downfall of Humanity
|
Jun 23, 2021 |
|
You don't need a "C" on your jersey to be captain: Leadership Lessons from Exhale's Matt Sheehan
|
Jun 16, 2021 |
|
Raleigh's "Open Source" Network, Growth Mindset, and Power of Diversity: Matt Sheehan, Part 1
|
Jun 09, 2021 |
|
Creating a strategic and disciplined approach to DEI, with Deanna Singh
|
Jun 02, 2021 |
|
NC State, Entrepreneurship, and a Mission of Neurodiversity Inclusion, with 321 Coffee's Lindsay Wrege
|
May 26, 2021 |
|
Veronica Kirin: Are you scaling your business, or burning out?
|
May 19, 2021 |
|
Make friends, build relationships, grow business, with LCI CEO Jeffrey Hawting
|
May 12, 2021 |
|
Reflections on Year One Leading The Diversity Movement
|
May 04, 2021 |
|
How to Earn Trust as a Leader
|
Apr 28, 2021 |
|
Why you should start a podcast, with Earfluence's Jason Gillikin
|
Apr 21, 2021 |
|
NC IDEA's Economic Support & The Black Entrepreneurship Council - CEO Thom Ruhe
|
Apr 14, 2021 |
|
Networking to achieve your dreams, with Plain Sight founder James Chapman
|
Apr 07, 2021 |
|
Allyship, Feminism, and Making an Impact, with NYU's Kayla Merriweather
|
Mar 31, 2021 |
|
How Activate Durham is building and bolstering the community
|
Mar 24, 2021 |
|
Creating diverse workforces, with Barfield Revenue Consulting’s Will Barfield
|
Mar 17, 2021 |
|
Alexa, who is Igor Jablokov?
|
Mar 10, 2021 |
|
Introducing First Check, with Venture Capitalist Tim McLoughlin
|
Mar 03, 2021 |
|
Making a Substantial Impact
|
Feb 24, 2021 |
|
Black History Month: Reflecting on the Past & Celebrating The Leaders of Today
|
Feb 17, 2021 |
|
How Corporate Boardrooms Can Reflect a Diverse America, with Attorney Ken Lewis
|
Feb 10, 2021 |
|
People, Planet, and Profit: Why Your Company Needs to Care about Sustainability
|
Feb 03, 2021 |
|
From Iranian Immigrant to Engineering Entrepreneur, with Sepi Saidi
|
Jan 27, 2021 |
|
Keith Pigues: Do your customers make more money doing business with you?
|
Jan 20, 2021 |
|
Raleigh Chamber's First Female CEO in 130 Years Adrienne Cole
|
Jan 13, 2021 |
|
How to Proactively Manage Your Career, with Executive Coach John Murphy
|
Jan 06, 2021 |
|
Sibling Thrivalry, with Creative Allies CEO Amie Thompson
|
Dec 29, 2020 |
|
Putting 2020 in the Rearview & Setting Up 2021 to be Explosive
|
Dec 23, 2020 |
|
From Lemonade Stand to Tech CEO: Millennial Serial Entrepreneur Ryan Vet
|
Dec 16, 2020 |
|
Sales 101: Mastering the Basics, with Larry Long Jr
|
Dec 09, 2020 |
|
How Do We Have Civil Conversations in an Uncivil World?
|
Dec 02, 2020 |
|
Coaching the Emerging Entrepreneur: Virtual Coffee with Simpliworks' Malik McCray
|
Nov 18, 2020 |
|
Creating a Diverse and Collaborative Entrepreneurship Community (Even Through COVID), with Capitol Broadcasting's Adam Klein
|
Nov 11, 2020 |
|
The 5 Pillars of Next Generation Leadership, with JLL's Nakira Carter and Kimarie Ankenbrand
|
Oct 28, 2020 |
|
Racial Unrest, White Privilege, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A 2020 Compilation Episode
|
Oct 21, 2020 |
|
Levitate's Jesse Lipson LIVE
|
Oct 15, 2020 |
|
Leadership Through Racial Unrest, with IBM's Tim Humphrey
|
Oct 07, 2020 |
|
Joe Bunn on Building an Empire, and Being Willing to Lose It All
|
Sep 30, 2020 |
|
Life of Pie: How family inspired Slice Pie Company's Kristen Mullins to chase her dream
|
Sep 23, 2020 |
|
Brand Loyalty and Hustle: Lessons Learned Working in the NBA, NFL, and MLB, with Jarrett Nobles
|
Sep 16, 2020 |
|
Losing a Job, Finding Entrepreneurship, with Courtney Canfield
|
Sep 09, 2020 |
|
How Virtual Reality Can Identify Unconscious Bias in the Workplace, with Lucid Dream's Mike McArdle
|
Sep 02, 2020 |
|
From Homeless to Global Tech Executive: Kendrall Felder's Path to Greatness
|
Aug 26, 2020 |
|
Inn Flow CEO John Erhart's Commitment to Constant Improvement
|
Aug 19, 2020 |
|
TLS Agency: The New Entourage
|
Aug 12, 2020 |
|
Gen Z Notes with Ciera Thompson, Episode 2: Diana Garland, Cassidy Leovic, and Taylor Oleson
|
Aug 07, 2020 |
|
How to Reinvent Yourself and Pivot Your Career (Solo Episode)
|
Aug 05, 2020 |
|
From Statement to Strategy, with JUST Podcast's Jes Averhart and Rob Shields
|
Jul 30, 2020 |
|
How to be Ruthlessly Efficient with Your Time (Solo Episode)
|
Jul 28, 2020 |
|
721 "Cups of Coffee" in Six Months, with Kelaca CEO Keith Langbo
|
Jul 23, 2020 |
|
Selling through the Storm (Solo Episode)
|
Jul 21, 2020 |
|
Unlocking the Power of Social Media, with Holderness Family CMO Ann Marie Taepke
|
Jul 16, 2020 |
|
From Pitt County to The White House: Tonya Williams' Career Journey
|
Jul 09, 2020 |
|
Competitive Excellence with 22-Time National Champion Anson Dorrance
|
Jul 07, 2020 |
|
Gen Z Notes with Ciera Thompson: Ben Codrington and Kaia Counter
|
Jul 02, 2020 |
|
Being the Only One in the Room, with Akinwole Garrett
|
Jun 30, 2020 |
|
Joe Colopy on Entrepreneurship, Family, and Why He Kept Bronto in the Triangle
|
Jun 25, 2020 |
|
CEO to CEO: NC Chamber's Gary Salamido Asks Critical Diversity and Inclusion Questions
|
Jun 18, 2020 |
|
HIRE Strategies CEO Sonya Hopson on Overcoming Racism, Mistakes, Imposter Syndrome, and Bias to Grow as a Leader
|
Jun 16, 2020 |
|
7X Founder Turned Venture Capitalist David Gardner Invests in the Entrepreneur, Not the Idea
|
Jun 10, 2020 |
|
A Life Altering Diagnosis Led Ashlyn Sanders to Entrepreneurship - and an Investment from Charles Barkley
|
May 27, 2020 |
|
Gen Z Roundtable: What are the Leaders of Tomorrow Looking For?
|
May 20, 2020 |
|
Cancer Warrior Jen Hoverstad, Kay Yow Cancer Fund Director of Community Engagement
|
May 13, 2020 |
|
Hassan and Meleata Pinto Raised 3 D1 Student Athletes - What's the Magic? What's in the Pinto Water?
|
May 06, 2020 |
|
Pressure on Women in the Workplace, with Loren Shumate
|
Apr 15, 2020 |
|
Now Available on Audiobook: The Startup Hats, by David Gardner
|
Mar 16, 2020 |
|
Implementing a Diversity and Inclusion Plan, with D&I Consultant Donald Thompson
|
Dec 02, 2019 |
|
Risk, Mental Toughness, and Dressing Up Like the Black Jon Snow: Having Fun with Success
|
Nov 25, 2019 |
|
The Rising Tide of the Triangle Startup Ecosystem, Grepbeat.com's Pete McEntegart
|
Nov 18, 2019 |
|
How LaunchMyCity Caught Fire, and What It Really Means to be an Entrepreneur, with Wake Tech's Katie Gailes
|
Nov 11, 2019 |
|
From Poverty to Philanthropy: Raleigh Rescue Mission's John Luckett
|
Nov 04, 2019 |
|
Advice to New CEOs with Donald Thompson
|
Oct 21, 2019 |
|
Advice for Startup Entrepreneurs from Venture Capitalist Tim McLoughlin, Partner at Cofounders Capital
|
Oct 14, 2019 |
|
The Diversity You Can’t See & Becoming a Leader, with American Underground GM Molly Demarest
|
Oct 07, 2019 |
|
How Pretend’s Javier Leiva Turned a Side Hustle to One Million Podcast Downloads
|
Sep 30, 2019 |
|
Former Fortnite Senior Producer Heather Chandler on Being a Trailblazer in Gaming and Her New Hustle
|
Sep 23, 2019 |
|
The Competitive Edge in Communication, Decision Making and Problem Solving
|
May 22, 2019 |
|
Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: D&I Consultant Donald Thompson
|
May 15, 2019 |
|
Understanding Your Why and The Power To Lead Others To Success
|
Mar 18, 2019 |
|
The Recipe For Success: Clients, Culture, and Community.
|
Mar 11, 2019 |
|
The Farce of Finding Work-Life Balance, with Sharon Delaney McCloud
|
Mar 04, 2019 |
|
From Homeless to Hustler, David Pratt's Amazing Journey
|
Feb 25, 2019 |
|
Leaders Stand Out by Having the Resolve to Never Quit, with Sid Smith
|
Feb 18, 2019 |
|
To Be a Successful Leader, Find Your Tribe, with Doug Speight
|
Feb 11, 2019 |
|
Morrisville Chief of Police Patrice Andrews: Your Current Circumstance is Not Your Destiny
|
Feb 04, 2019 |
|
The Sports Shop's Reese and K-Mac: Are You an Asset or a Liability?
|
Jan 28, 2019 |