The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Hosted by Zenger Folkman Leadership

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

200

Latest episode

May 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Using over 1.5 million assessments from leaders across the world, renowned psychometrician Joe Folkman and leadership legend Jack Zenger are here to settle the debates and let the data speak for itself. Each week they analyze different leadership traits, trends, and what it really takes to get to the 90th percentile. These short episodes feature compelling stories, research, and actions that leaders can take to improve. To learn more visit https://zengerfolkman.com/podcast/.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

May 27, 202614 min

Episode 185: Are You Overestimating Your Effectiveness? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

Episode Description Why do so many capable people overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly damaging trust, credibility, communication, and career growth? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Joe Folkman to explore new research from Zenger Folkman on the surprising gap between how individual … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-185-are-you-overestimating-your-effectiveness-and-why-it-matters-more-than-you-think/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-185-are-you-overestimating-your-effectiveness-and-why-it-matters-more-than-you-think/">Episode 185: Are You Overestimating Your Effectiveness? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

March 24, 202616 min

Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice

Episode Description In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, BreAnne Okoren and Jack Zenger sit down with leadership expert Michelle Fabian to explore one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of effective coaching: presence. While many leadership coaching models focus on goal setting, performance gaps, and action plans, this conversation takes a different approach. Michelle shares … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-184-coaching-is-connection-first-why-presence-outperforms-advice/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-184-coaching-is-connection-first-why-presence-outperforms-advice/">Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

March 10, 202615 min

Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust

Episode Description Gossip may seem like a minor workplace habit, but the research tells a very different story. In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne and Joe Folkman explore new data from Zenger Folkman’s 360-degree leadership assessments revealing how destructive comments about others can quietly undermine a leader’s effectiveness. Based on feedback from hundreds of … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-183-the-gossip-trap-one-leadership-habit-that-quietly-destroys-trust/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-183-the-gossip-trap-one-leadership-habit-that-quietly-destroys-trust/">Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

February 25, 202612 min

Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore

Episode Description In a time of tighter budgets and higher scrutiny, leadership development is often one of the first investments leaders feel pressure to justify—or cut. But what if that decision is quietly costing organizations far more than they realize? In this episode, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Orin Salas, Vice President of Sales at Zenger … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-182-does-leadership-development-actually-pay-off-the-roi-leaders-cant-ignore/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-182-does-leadership-development-actually-pay-off-the-roi-leaders-cant-ignore/">Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

February 4, 202614 min

Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026

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 and direct … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-181-highlights-from-the-leadership-skills-report-2026/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-181-highlights-from-the-leadership-skills-report-2026/">Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

January 21, 202612 min

Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time

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 renowned … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-180-the-generational-trust-myth-why-behavior-beats-age-every-time/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-180-the-generational-trust-myth-why-behavior-beats-age-every-time/">Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

January 7, 202610 min

Episode 179: Strategic Expertise vs. Emotional Intelligence—Which Drives Leadership Success?

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 … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-179-strategic-expertise-vs-emotional-intelligence-which-drives-leadership-success/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-179-strategic-expertise-vs-emotional-intelligence-which-drives-leadership-success/">Episode 179: Strategic Expertise vs. Emotional Intelligence—Which Drives Leadership Success?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

November 19, 202513 min

Episode 178: The Hidden Truth About Gender and Leadership Ratings

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 surprising paradox: women … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-178-the-hidden-truth-about-gender-and-leadership-ratings/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-178-the-hidden-truth-about-gender-and-leadership-ratings/">Episode 178: The Hidden Truth About Gender and Leadership Ratings</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

October 29, 202518 min

Episode 177: Why Strengths-Based Development Outperforms Traditional Methods

Details Consider this episode your Strengths-Based Leadership 101. BreAnne and Joe revisit the foundation of Zenger Folkman’s entire leadership philosophy — the data-driven insight that extraordinary leaders are not well-rounded; they’re exceptional in a few distinctive areas that matter most. Drawing from over 100,000 leadership assessments, Joe explains why traditional development programs focused on fixing weaknesses … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-177-why-strengths-based-development-outperforms-traditional-methods/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-177-why-strengths-based-development-outperforms-traditional-methods/">Episode 177: Why Strengths-Based Development Outperforms Traditional Methods</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.

October 14, 202524 min

Episode 176: Jotun Case Study in Extraordinary Leadership

Details In this special episode of The 90th Percentile, we unpack how Jotun—the Norway-based, family-owned paints and coatings company operating in 100+ countries—elevated leadership effectiveness using Zenger Folkman’s Extraordinary Leader program. Partnering with Arcadia Consulting, Jotun moved from a baseline well below industry average to outperforming peers, all by doubling down on a strengths-based approach to leadership. We’re joined by Alistair … <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-176-jotun-case-study-in-extraordinary-leadership/">Continued</a> The post <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com/uncategorized/episode-176-jotun-case-study-in-extraordinary-leadership/">Episode 176: Jotun Case Study in Extraordinary Leadership</a> first appeared on <a href="https://zengerfolkman.com">ZENGER FOLKMAN</a>.