The Experimental Leader

Hosted by Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

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Episodes

164

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

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. Fear not. Let Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford be your guide to becoming the leader you were meant to be – an experimental leader! 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!

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 30, 202619 min

Traps and Tricks: From Breakdown to Breakthrough

What if your biggest leadership challenge becomes your greatest opportunity?In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore how unexpected setbacks can become "lucky disasters" when leaders approach them with curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to adapt. Through personal stories—including an ice storm that sent a tree crashing into a swimming pool and a cross-country camping trip interrupted by a broken axle—they reveal practical lessons for navigating uncertainty without losing momentum.Discover why effective leaders prepare for the unexpected, avoid operating at maximum capacity, and create organizations that can respond with confidence instead of panic. Learn how strategic thinking, teamwork, and a resilient mindset transform breakdowns into breakthroughs that strengthen both leaders and their teams.Whether you're leading an organization, managing a team, or developing your own leadership skills, this conversation offers practical insights for navigating change, overcoming setbacks, and building a culture that thrives under pressure.In this episode, you'll learn:• How to turn unexpected challenges into leadership opportunities• Why resilience is one of the most important leadership skills• The power of curiosity during organizational crises• How to prepare your team before disaster strikes• Practical strategies for leading through uncertainty and change🎁 Special Offer for Listeners: Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Enroll in the Leadership Blueprint course and use the code ODYSSEY at checkout for free access.Learn more at: https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprintIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Experimental Leader Podcast, leave a review, and share it with a leader who is ready to turn life's inevitable breakdowns into meaningful breakthroughs.

June 16, 202617 min

Leading on the Glass Cliff with Dr. Mel Rutherford, PCC

In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish speaks with Dr. Mel Rutherford about leading through crisis, identity, and organizational transformation, drawing from his book The Glass Cliff: One Trans Man’s Leadership Odyssey.The conversation explores the “glass cliff” phenomenon, where leaders from marginalized groups are often placed into high-risk leadership roles during periods of instability. Dr. Rutherford shares lived experience from stepping into a department chair role during a crisis and reflects on how leadership is shaped under pressure.Together, they examine how effective leadership is built through slowing down, listening deeply, and aligning decisions with shared values. The discussion highlights consensus-driven leadership, compassionate accountability, and practical approaches for navigating uncertainty with clarity and integrity.Key themes include crisis leadership, values-based decision-making, trust-building, and leading complex teams through change while staying grounded in purpose and people.Dr. Rutherford’s book is available here: http://experimentalleader.com/melrutherfordCatch his book tour here: https://www.melanieparish.com/events/Get free access to the Leadership Blueprint using the code "ODYSSEY": https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprintThis episode offers a grounded exploration of leadership under pressure and invites listeners to rethink how leaders are selected, supported, and sustained in times of uncertainty.

June 4, 202619 min

Traps and Tricks: Criticism & Emotions

In this episode of Traps and Tricks, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford explore two leadership challenges that often go hand in hand: criticism and emotions.Why do leaders become defensive when receiving feedback? What happens when emotions are ignored in the workplace? And how can leaders respond with empathy while still maintaining accountability?Melanie and Mel discuss how criticism can be valuable information, the impact of emotional awareness on team performance, and practical ways leaders can build stronger relationships through curiosity, compassion, and better communication.Free Leadership Blueprint CourseUse code ODYSSEY for free access:www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprintThe Experimental Leader Podcast delivers practical leadership insights, coaching strategies, and real-world conversations to help leaders thrive.

May 27, 202613 min

Skill Up: Developing People

Welcome to Skill Up, the newest segment of The Experimental Leader Podcast, where Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford break down practical leadership skills that help leaders grow, develop teams, and create lasting impact.In this episode, Skill Up: Developing People, Melanie and Mel explore why employee development is one of the most powerful tools in leadership today. They discuss how strong leaders create opportunities for growth, mentor emerging talent, and build workplace cultures where people feel supported, challenged, and empowered to evolve.This conversation dives into leadership development, mentorship, employee engagement, performance evaluations, workplace culture, coaching, and the importance of investing in both quiet and outspoken team members. Melanie also shares why developing people is valuable even when employees eventually move on to new opportunities.Whether you are a manager, executive, entrepreneur, HR professional, coach, or emerging leader, this episode offers practical leadership insights you can immediately apply to your organization and career.In this episode:How to develop employees effectivelyWhy mentorship matters in leadershipCreating a culture of growth and accountabilitySupporting employee engagement and professional developmentLeadership strategies for building stronger teamsHow development conversations improve workplace cultureWhy investing in people strengthens organizations long termGet free access to the Leadership Blueprint course for podcast listeners using the code ODYSSEY:https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprintThe Experimental Leader Podcast explores leadership, innovation, inclusivity, coaching, workplace culture, and human centered leadership through honest conversations and actionable ideas.Follow, rate, and review The Experimental Leader Podcast on Apple Podcasts to stay connected with future Skill Up episodes and leadership conversations designed for modern leaders.Listen now and start experimenting with your leadership.

May 20, 202624 min

Decoding Human Performance with Jacob Chase

In this episode of The Experimental Leader Podcast, Melanie Parish and Mel Rutherford are joined by Jacob Chase, CEO of Infin, for a strategic exploration of leadership, accountability, and the future of human performance.The discussion examines how organizations can evolve beyond traditional performance management systems and succession planning models that often fail to capture the full scope of individual and team contribution. Jacob introduces a performance intelligence framework that leverages collective feedback to surface more accurate, bias-resistant insights into how work is actually delivered across teams.Melanie and Mel also unpack the ongoing leadership challenge of balancing work quality, revenue generation, and managerial input, offering a practical lens for strengthening accountability in complex organizational environments. Mel Rutherford adds a succession planning perspective, emphasizing the importance of intentionally developing future leaders well in advance of transition points.This conversation highlights the shift toward more adaptive, data-informed, and values-aligned leadership systems that better reflect real organizational impact.🎧 Special Offer: Access the Leadership Blueprint program for free using the code ODYSSEY at checkout.👉 https://www.experimentalacademy.com/leadership-blueprintThis episode is designed for executives, managers, HR leaders, coaches, and organizational strategists seeking to elevate leadership effectiveness, improve decision-making, and build more resilient teams and cultures.

April 29, 202619 min

From HR to Human-Centered Leadership with Dr. Roz

What makes people truly engaged at work? In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Dr. Roz Cohen joins the conversation to explore the power of connection, belonging, and human-centred leadership in today’s workplace.As an inclusion strategist and founder of Socius Strategies, Dr. Roz shares insights from her work helping organizations build cultures rooted in trust, psychological safety, and meaningful relationships. Together, the conversation explores why asking “why” matters in leadership, how leaders can create environments where people feel valued, and the difference between intellectual, emotional, and relational engagement.This episode is a thoughtful discussion on inclusive leadership, workplace culture, employee engagement, and the human side of leadership that too often gets overlooked.If you are leading teams, navigating organizational change, or working to build stronger workplace relationships, this episode offers practical insights and fresh perspectives to experiment with in your own leadership journey.

March 31, 202621 min

Leading Without Burnout with Michelle Troseth & Dr. Tracy Christopherson

Burnout is not the cost of leadership. It is a signal.In this episode of The Experimental Leader, we explore a more sustainable way to lead by moving beyond either or thinking and learning how to manage competing priorities more effectively.This conversation focuses on balancing results and relationships, performance and well being, and leadership and personal life through a concept known as Polarity Intelligence.Instead of chasing perfect balance, the focus is on building awareness and making adjustments in real time to stay effective without overextending yourself.If you are feeling stretched or navigating constant demands, this episode offers a practical and grounded perspective on how to lead without burning out.

February 28, 202627 min

Trauma-Informed Leadership with Dr. L. Carol Scott

In this episode of The Experimental Leader, the show explores a trauma-sensitive perspective on leadership, examining how early relational experiences shape executive behaviour, emotional triggers, and decision-making patterns. The conversation highlights how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses show up in the workplace—and what leaders can do to manage them effectively.

January 27, 202633 min

Leading Through Collective Wisdom with Paulo Gregory

Start 2026 with a fresh take on leadership.In this episode of The Experimental Leader, Mel Rutherford and Melanie Parish are joined by designer and community builder Paulo Gregory to explore leading through collective wisdom. They discuss the power of soft skills, non-hierarchical leadership, and collaboration, and how experimentation and trust can unlock innovation and shared ownership in teams.A must-listen for leaders ready to rethink how leadership works.

December 15, 202516 min

Seasonal Leadership Experiments: Efficiency, Culture, and Connection

This episode dives into how leaders can use experimentation to navigate the intensity of the December season with more clarity, efficiency, and humanity. The conversation explores practical strategies for running purposeful meetings, setting clear expectations, and respecting time during a high-pressure month.You’ll also hear fresh perspectives on blending personal and professional traditions, fostering cultural inclusivity, and designing celebrations that bring genuine joy rather than exhaustion. With insights on “safe-to-fail” experiments, flexible decision-making, and inclusive holiday practices, this episode equips leaders to create meaningful connections and healthier rhythms at work.A timely reminder that thoughtful leadership isn’t seasonal—these lessons are built to carry into the new year.