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The Experimental Leader: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford
Are you a business owner, executive, leader, team leader, aspiring future leader, leadership junkie, a scientist, a design thinker, or simply the leader of your own life? If you are, then you are a leader, and as such, you should be experimenting! Welcome to The Experimental Leader, a podcast where we tackle the ways leaders are experimenting in their own work. Hosted by Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford, we dive into the most interesting questions about leaders and get into real-life conversations about how people might be experimenting with their leadership. What they are trying? How they are leading and managing their flow of work and throughput? How are they managing bottlenecks, mission, vision, strategic, operational, and tactical intents? How do they organize experiments? How do they succeed? How do they fail? How do they collect data? The loneliness of leadership can be overwhelming, especially when a leader gets promoted and doesn’t have a roadmap for how to lead. They might feel like they are supposed to have the answers, and yet they have to figure out what that really means. The hardest part can be not having anyone to talk to about their leadership journey. A public speaker, consultant, workshop leader, author, and Master Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation, from whom she received the Prism Award, Melanie is an expert in problem-solving, constraints management, operations, strategic hiring, and brand development. She has consulted and coached organizations ranging from a Fortune 50 company to IT start-ups receiving their first round of funding. Her individual clients include those in FAANG and other top global IT companies. Melanie is a Certified Professional Coactive Coach and, Organization and Relationship Systems Certified Coach, and a Theory of Constraints Certified Jonah. As an author, educator, and creator of The Experimental Leader program, Melanie shows people new ways of thinking about their leadership, informed by her understanding of the fast-paced ride of technology innovation. A professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, and Canada Research Chair in Social Perception. Dr. Mel Rutherford graduated from Yale University and earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Human Development from the University of California at Santa Barbara. A Fulbright Fellowship allowed Dr. Rutherford to study and collaborate with the well-known Simon Baron-Cohen in Cambridge, England. Dr. Rutherford also worked with Bruce Pennington and Sally Rogers at the University of Denver as a postdoctoral fellow. He now heads a dynamic research laboratory at McMaster University. Dr. Rutherford is well-known for research in the field of psychology and has been interviewed and quoted in The Globe and Mail, The London Times, The Chicago Times, CBC Radio, Quirks and Quarks, and The Discovery Channel, as well as many AP newspapers around the world. Get rid of the fear and doubt, and shift your leadership into something that works better. Every week, learn from top leaders about how they’re experimenting, how they’re leading, and how they’re doing the things that they do. Join us here on The Experimental Leader and step into leadership with confidence and the knowledge to start leading the experiment today!
Latest Episodes
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- Yesterday5 min
Skill Up: Communicating Through the Holidays
In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how communication is a leadership skill we can continually develop to navigate different priorities, expectations, and responsibilities.From coordinating family holiday plans to managing workplace schedules and holiday coverage, clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings, reduce tension, and ensure everyone feels heard and included.Discover how collaborative planning, open conversations, and understanding what matters to others can transform the way we work together, celebrate together, and lead through the holiday season.Continue your leadership development with free access to the Leadership Blueprint course!Created by Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC, the Leadership Blueprint offers practical insights to help you grow as a leader.Use the code ODYSSEY to access the course for free at Leadership Blueprint.Because great leadership starts with how we communicate.Keep experimenting. Keep communicating. Keep leading.
- 1 weeks ago11 min
Traps and Tricks: When to Ask, When to Decide
When should a leader ask for input, and when is it better to simply make the decision?In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the trickier parts of leadership: knowing when collaboration is helpful and when asking for input can actually create confusion, frustration, or a false sense of shared decision-making.They unpack the difference between consulting, collaborating, and deciding, and why leaders need to understand their own decision-making authority before asking others for their opinions. If a leader already knows the decision is going forward, asking for input without being clear about what can actually change can erode trust.Melanie and Mel discuss when leaders should involve people who are directly affected by a decision, why routine or preference-based decisions rarely require broad consultation, and how hiring decisions can benefit from input from the people who will actually work with a candidate.They also explore how decision-making changes depending on the organizational context, from academic shared governance to startups and owner-led businesses.The takeaway? Before you ask, know what you are asking for, who needs to be involved, and what you are willing or able to change.Want to strengthen your leadership decision-making and build a clearer leadership practice?Explore the Leadership Blueprint and use promo code ODYSSEY for access.👉 https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprintListen in and keep experimenting with how you lead.
- 3 weeks ago29 min
Rethinking Age in the Workplace with Dan Pontefract
What if one of the biggest untapped resources in today’s workplace isn’t technology, but experience?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford sit down with leadership strategist and author Dan Pontefract to rethink age, experience, longevity, and the future of work.This conversation invites leaders to ask an important question: What could your organization gain if you stopped treating age as a limitation and started treating experience as an asset?🎧 Listen now and keep experimenting with your leadership.Want to strengthen your leadership skills? Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint course using code ODYSSEY.
- 4 weeks ago14 min
Skill Up: Leadership at the Dinner Table
Leadership doesn’t stop when the meeting ends. Sometimes, it shows up around the dinner table.In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford explore how leaders can intentionally shape informal gatherings, business dinners, and social events to create connection, inclusion, and meaningful conversation.From choosing the right seating arrangement to managing alcohol, guiding table etiquette, and making thoughtful introductions, seemingly small decisions can have a significant impact on how comfortable and included people feel.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:Intentionally curate social and business gatherings.Use seating arrangements to encourage connection and conversation.Set clear expectations around alcohol and event structure.Navigate business etiquette in ways that support inclusion.Help people from different cultural, class, and social backgrounds feel more comfortable.Use meals and informal gatherings as opportunities for mentorship and leadership development.Because great hosting is more than good manners—it’s leadership in action.Listen now and Skill Up on how to lead beyond the boardroom.Get the Leadership Blueprint FREEWant to strengthen your leadership skills? Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint course from Experimental Leader Academy.Use code ODYSSEY at checkout to access the course for free:Get the Leadership Blueprint
- Aug 27, 20265 min
Traps and Tricks: Turning Employee Exits into Cultural Wins
What happens to your organizational culture when a valued employee leaves?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the often-overlooked moments in leadership: how we handle employee departures. Even when an exit is complicated by frustration, conflict, or disappointment, the way leaders respond sends a powerful message to the people who remain.Mel and Melanie discuss why failing to acknowledge an employee’s contributions can become a cultural trap—and how thoughtful, authentic recognition can turn a departure into an opportunity to reinforce what your organization values.You’ll hear practical insights on how to:Recognize an employee’s contribution, even when the ending isn’t perfect.Understand what remaining employees are watching when someone leaves.Protect and strengthen organizational culture during times of transition.Separate gratitude for someone’s contribution from the circumstances of their departure.Support the idea that people can grow beyond an organization—and that this can be a sign of healthy leadership.A good goodbye isn’t just about the person who is leaving. It’s also about the people who stay and the culture you are continuing to build.Listen to this episode of The Experimental Leader and consider: What message does your organization send when someone walks out the door?Get the Leadership Blueprint FREE:Visit the Leadership Blueprint course and use code ODYSSEY at checkout to access it for free.Keep experimenting. Keep learning. Keep leading.
- Aug 11, 202634 min
Digital Detox & Thoughtload with Liane Davey
What if feeling overwhelmed isn’t really about your workload but your thought load?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford sit down with leadership expert Liane Davey to explore the invisible mental and emotional demands that can leave leaders and teams feeling depleted, distracted, and overwhelmed.Liane introduces the concept of thought load, which goes beyond the traditional idea of workload. Thought load is created by the combination of rising cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and depleted energy reserves and it can quietly affect our performance, relationships, decision-making, and ability to engage in productive conflict.Liane shares her own experiment with a two-week digital and mental reset, including silent walks, coloring, and intentional periods of zero input. The goal isn’t to eliminate thoughts, but to create enough space for deeper processing, new connections, emotional regulation, and renewed energy.The conversation also explores how digital overstimulation, remote work, smartphones, and even AI can impact the way we think, connect, learn, and process information. Liane challenges us to consider whether our constant access to information is helping us think better or encouraging us to surrender some of the deeper cognitive work that makes us curious, creative, and thoughtful.You’ll also hear how high thought load can contribute to conflict debt, why workplaces may be missing opportunities for informal learning, and what leaders can do to make thought load more manageable and purposeful.In this episode, you’ll discover:What thought load is and why it matters for leadersThe connection between cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and energyHow digital overstimulation contributes to mental overloadPractical ways to create space for deeper thinking and processingWhy unresolved conflict can increase thought loadHow remote work has changed informal learning and connectionThe potential risks of relying too heavily on AIHow leaders can redirect thought load toward meaningful work, relationships, and contributionIf you’ve ever felt busy without knowing exactly why you’re exhausted, this conversation offers a new way to understand what may be happening beneath the surface.Listen now and keep experimenting with your leadership.Bonus: Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint course using code ODYSSEY.
- Aug 7, 202610 min
Skill Up: Hiring Beyond Your Bias
Are you hiring people who truly fit the role or simply people who feel familiar?In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Mel Rutherford and Melanie Parish explore one of the most common leadership traps: hiring people who think, work, and lead just like you. While it may feel comfortable, it can limit innovation, collaboration, and long-term organizational success.Melanie shares how leaders can make more intentional hiring decisions by understanding personality preferences, using tools like DISC to define role requirements, and recognizing when bias may be influencing their choices. The conversation also explores how to navigate limited talent pools, when it's worth extending a search for the right candidate, and why developing skills is often easier than changing natural behavioral preferences.Whether you're hiring your first employee or building a high-performing leadership team, this episode offers practical insights to help you make better hiring decisions and create stronger, more balanced teams.In this episode, you'll learn:Why leaders naturally hire people who are similar to themselvesHow diverse personalities strengthen organizational performanceHow DISC can support smarter hiring decisionsWhat to do when the ideal candidate doesn't appearThe difference between developing skills and changing personality preferencesHow curiosity can help reduce unconscious hiring biasListen now and start experimenting with hiring practices that build stronger teams, better collaboration, and lasting leadership success.Ready to grow your leadership skills? Get the Leadership Blueprint course FREE by using the code odyssey at checkout. It's a practical resource designed to help you lead with greater confidence, clarity, and impact.
- Jul 30, 202610 min
Traps and Tricks: Vision vs. Volume
What happens when everything is a priority?In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore one of the most common leadership traps: creating urgency without providing clarity. When leaders assign too much work without clear priorities, employees are left to sort through competing demands, often leading to stress, rework, and reduced productivity.Melanie shares practical strategies for shifting from constant firefighting to intentional leadership, including collaborative prioritization, better communication, regular check-ins, and empowering teams to manage execution while leaders focus on vision.Whether you lead a team of two or two hundred, this conversation will help you reduce overwhelm, build trust, and create a healthier, more effective way of working.In this episode, you'll learn:Why making everything "urgent" slows teams downHow shared prioritization improves performanceThe value of frequent check-ins and early feedbackWhy leaders should focus on vision while teams manage executionHow AI may increase urgency—and what leaders can do about itReady to strengthen your leadership skills? Get The Leadership Blueprint course FREE with the code ODYSSEY.https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprint
About The Experimental Leader
Are you a business owner, executive, leader, team leader, aspiring future leader, leadership junkie, a scientist, a design thinker, or simply the leader of your own life? If you are, then you are a leader, and as such, you should be experimenting! Welcome to The Experimental Leader, a podcast where we tackle the ways leaders are experimenting in their own work. Hosted by Melanie Parish and Dr. Mel Rutherford, we dive into the most interesting questions about leaders and get into real-life conversations about how people might be experimenting with their leadership. What they are trying? How they are leading and managing their flow of work and throughput? How are they managing bottlenecks, mission, vision, strategic, operational, and tactical intents? How do they organize experiments? How do they succeed? How do they fail? How do they collect data? The loneliness of leadership can be overwhelming, especially when a leader gets promoted and doesn’t have a roadmap for how to lead. They might feel like they are supposed to have the answers, and yet they have to figure out what that really means. The hardest part can be not having anyone to talk to about their leadership journey. A public speaker, consultant, workshop leader, author, and Master Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation, from whom she received the Prism Award, Melanie is an expert in problem-solving, constraints management, operations, strategic hiring, and brand development. She has consulted and coached organizations ranging from a Fortune 50 company to IT start-ups receiving their first round of funding. Her individual clients include those in FAANG and other top global IT companies. Melanie is a Certified Professional Coactive Coach and, Organization and Relationship Systems Certified Coach, and a Theory of Constraints Certified Jonah. As an author, educator, and creator of The Experimental Leader program, Melanie shows people new ways of thinking about their leadership, informed by her understanding of the fast-paced ride of technology innovation. A professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, and Canada Research Chair in Social Perception. Dr. Mel Rutherford graduated from Yale University and earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Human Development from the University of California at Santa Barbara. A Fulbright Fellowship allowed Dr. Rutherford to study and collaborate with the well-known Simon Baron-Cohen in Cambridge, England. Dr. Rutherford also worked with Bruce Pennington and Sally Rogers at the University of Denver as a postdoctoral fellow. He now heads a dynamic research laboratory at McMaster University. Dr. Rutherford is well-known for research in the field of psychology and has been interviewed and quoted in The Globe and Mail, The London Times, The Chicago Times, CBC Radio, Quirks and Quarks, and The Discovery Channel, as well as many AP newspapers around the world. Get rid of the fear and doubt, and shift your leadership into something that works better. Every week, learn from top leaders about how they’re experimenting, how they’re leading, and how they’re doing the things that they do. Join us here on The Experimental Leader and step into leadership with confidence and the knowledge to start leading the experiment today!
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