The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren and Joe Folkman unpack Zenger Folkman’s new Leadership Skills 2026 Report and explore what truly differentiates leaders in an AI-accelerated world. As AI makes information faster and cheaper, one capability is becoming increasingly scarce: human leadership. Drawing on fresh data from tens of thousands of leaders … Continued

The post Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026 first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Trust in leadership is often framed as a generational issue—older leaders are assumed to be more credible because of experience, while younger leaders are expected to “prove themselves” before earning trust. But Zenger Folkman research challenges these assumptions. In this episode of The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast, BreAnne Okoren sits down with … Continued

The post Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Emotional intelligence has dominated leadership conversations for years—and for good reason. Leaders who listen, empathize, and build strong relationships create healthier, more engaged teams. But what if EQ isn’t the primary capability driving leadership effectiveness? Drawing on a global dataset of 128,000 leaders and 360-degree feedback from over a million raters, they explore what … Continued

The post Episode 179: Strategic Expertise vs. Emotional Intelligence—Which Drives Leadership Success? first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Research shows that both giving and receiving feedback triggers stress responses similar to physical threats—but understanding these brain mechanisms can help us build better feedback cultures. Our guest today is Dr. David Rock, who coined the term “neuroleadership” and serves as Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute. This 23-year-old cognitive science consultancy has … Continued

The post Episode 160: Using Neuroscience to Make Feedback Work with David Rock first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Are workplace evaluations truly objective—or do subtle perceptions still shape how we see male and female leaders differently? In this episode, host Bre Okoren sits down with leadership researcher Joe Folkman to unpack one of the largest real-world analyses ever conducted on gender and leadership effectiveness. Drawing from 12,000+ 360-degree evaluations, Joe reveals a … Continued

The post Episode 178: The Hidden Truth About Gender and Leadership Ratings first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.