Imperfect Leaders

In this episode of Imperfect Leaders, host Jeff Cohn sits down with Dr. Bradley Schlaggar — physician, neuroscientist, and President and CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, one of the world's premier institutions for children and young adults with disorders of the brain and nervous system.Brad's path to leadership began with a lifelong obsession with the developing brain, an MD and PhD from Washington University, and nearly two decades on the faculty building a celebrated research career. But it was a series of deeply personal crucible experiences — the loss of his sister and father to cancer, his own emergency heart surgery, his wife's breast cancer diagnosis, and his son Simeon's four-year battle with leukemia — that forged his most important leadership qualities. Those experiences gave Brad something no training program could: a profound, bone-deep empathy for the families sitting across from him, and a servant leader's instinct to make space for others rather than occupy it himself.That empathy and humility are not incidental to how Kennedy Krieger works — they are the foundation of it. Brad has built a culture where world-class specialists in neurology, psychiatry, behavioral health, and education are not just housed under one roof but genuinely work together, centered entirely on the patient and family in front of them. In this conversation, Brad takes us inside that culture — how it is built, how it is sustained, and why true interdisciplinary care produces outcomes that siloed systems simply cannot.He also speaks with remarkable candor about what parents of children with autism and developmental differences actually need, what the system consistently gets wrong, and what business leaders with real capital and influence can do right now to move the needle for these families — inside their companies and in their communities.This episode will resonate deeply with any parent who has ever sat in a waiting room terrified, and with any leader who has learned — the hard way — that the most powerful thing you can do is get out of the way of the people around you.www.imperfectleaders.com

Some CEOs hide behind the veil of invulnerability. Michael Paul, Ph.D., does the opposite—he believes that real leadership starts with choosing trust over armor. Michael was deeply influenced by the wisdom of Patrick Lencioni, never choose "invulnerability over trust."As CEO of MARAbio, he is helping build a company that knows exactly why it exists: to use maternal immune science to help eradicate the most severe forms of autism, giving families earlier answers and more hope. On this episode of Imperfect Leaders, Michael unpacks how that clear purpose shapes every hard conversation with parents, clinicians, investors, and his own team—and how a leadership style that embraces his heart, mind, and soul (psychological safety), and a culture grounded in honesty makes it possible to tackle obstacles as big as autism itself.www.imperfectleaders.com

Join us for a deeply human conversation with Amanda Lukof, founder of the groundbreaking Eleplan app and devoted caregiver to her autistic brother, Liam. In this episode, we explore how Eleplan is changing the game for families—making the chaos of care more manageable and freeing up precious time and peace of mind. But as Amanda shares, caregiving isn’t just about looking after others; it’s about who we become in the process. From her own family’s journey to Eleplan’s powerful vision, you’ll discover how better care can transform families, bring clarity to overwhelming moments, and help all of us grow into our best selves. Whether you’re a caregiver, a leader, or simply seeking inspiration, this is an episode about love, innovation, and the character that comes from caring.www.imperfectleaders.com

Every once in a while you're lucky enough to meet a values-driven leader who has the passion, the mind, and the skills to make the world a better place.Today's guest – Chris Male – is one of those trailblazers.His firm – The Autism Impact Fund (AIF) – is helping to solve what many experts consider the largest public health issue of our generation -– skyrocketing autism, and other mental and behavioral health conditions. AIF has become the investment and innovation arm of the autism community. www.imperfectleaders.com

Adrian Jones is one of the classiest, humble, and resilient leaders I have ever met. Not just at Goldman Sachs, but at any company.His son Liam – received a diagnosis of profound autism at 2 years old. As you can imagine, this crucible experience forever changed the lives of Adrian and his incredible wife, Tina.Aside from bringing immeasurable joy (and, if we're being honest lots of heartache and pain), Liam has helped Adrian become crystal clear about his core values, deeply held beliefs, and North Star.in very real ways, Liam has helped his dad become a better leader, husband, father, and human being.www.imperfectleaders.com

Blair Berk was a little firecracker growing up deep in the heart of Dixie. Little did she know at the time – or did she? – that she was destined to become one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the entire country. Sure, she's smart as a whip. But the real secret sauce is her social intelligence. In today's episode, find out how she developed empathy and discovered her 'true north' – those deeply held values that define her as a leader, and as a human being.Share your thoughts.

Pacaso is more than a startup that allows individuals to buy a piece of a beautiful home...it's a state of mind. Being part of the Pacaso ecosystem helps people get off the day-to-day hamster wheel and focus on more important things in life, like relationships, discovery, and self-awareness.Bringing this vision to life requires a special kind of leader...one who balances strength and vulnerability...left brain analytics and right brain creativity...charisma and authenticity....confidence and humility.Today's guest - Austin Allison - Founder and CEO of Pacaso - is one of these very special leaders....what I like to call an ambidextrous CEO. In today's episode, find out why iconic leaders, like former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is a mentor to Austin and investor in Pacaso. And find out why you should be part of the Pacaso ecosystem as well – either as an investor or as an owner. To take creative liberty with Billy Joel's song ..."I'm in a Pacaso State of Mind."

"Think Different". That was the iconic tagline popularized by legendary Apple Founder, Steve Jobs. Autistic children have significant challenges – at work and at home. No doubt about it. But they also have a competitive advantage in the world of innovative leadership - they think different. Which begs the question – can autistic children develop into innovative leaders – in society and in business?To help us answer this question, we talk today with Dr. Trenna Sutcliffe. She created the world-renowned Sutcliffe Clinic, that is like a mini-Mayo Clinic, taking a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to helping neurodiverse children reach their full potential and lead happier, more productive lives.Join – The Leadership Mindset Challenge

Harvard is an iconic, 387 year old institution of higher education. And it's time for a cultural overhaul. The events of the past year – racism, antisemitism, violence on campus, the removal of its president - have thrown their imperfections into stark relief for the world to see. Today’s guest - Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana – is very open and humble about Harvard’s imperfections. But that doesn’t mean he’s sitting still. Far from it. Recognizing he casts a long shadow and embracing a 'beginner's mindset', Khurana is spearheading the Intellectual Vitality effort which he hopes will revitalize the school’s culture. The lofty goal is to create a safe space environment across the entire campus and community – both physically and psychologically – that encourages tough conversations about divisive problems, in which students can learn from each other, regardless of how uncomfortable it is, at first. As Dean Khurana says, “let’s be hard on the problem, but easy on each other.” We should all be keeping an eye on Harvard's progress. Lessons gleaned may help other universities - and other divided institutions and partisan leaders across America in the media, politics, education, and business. www.imperfectleaders.com, Jefffrey Cohn

U.S. Representative Dean Phillips is an innovative leader. He has drawn praise from modern day business heroes - like hedge fund icon Bill Ackman - for his willingness to shake things up - like staid industries including vodka, gelato, and most recently, U.S. politics. He even threw his hat in the ring and ran for President of the United States, even though everyone knew it was a long shot campaign. Find out what he learned during this intense process. www.imperfectleaders.com

One of the best leaders in the NBA is today’s guest – Tim Connelly – General Manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Before billionaire owner Marc Lore and co-owner Alex Rodriguez lured him to Minnesota, Connelly worked side by side with Stan and Josh Kroenke and Coach Michael Malone - as the team's GM who helped the Denver Nuggets win their very first world championship. What is Tim’s secret sauce? Is it superior analytics and competitive intelligence? Nope. Actually, it’s the exact opposite. Tim is an incredibly emotionally intelligent leader – comfortable in his own skin and able to forge authentic relationships with star talent like Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert. Although Tim prefers to stay out of the spotlight – and rarely will you see him do public interviews on ESPN or the NBA on TNT– he was gracious enough to share wisdom with our listeners. We hope you enjoy! www.imperfectleaders.com

Mielle Organics - the hair care and beauty brand - is the fastest ever growing consumer startup in history of this industry - and was recently acquired by ⁠Procter & Gamble⁠ in a truly historic transaction that made headlines across the country. Yet their founders - ⁠Monique and Melvin Rodriguez⁠ - had to overcome serious challenges most entrepreneurs can't even imagine. First of all the co-founders are African American, and faced a litany of nasty bias and rejection early in their journey. And if that weren’t enough the co-founders are also married and full time parents. Where did they find the time? The energy? The resilience? The faith to overcome so many obstacles on their path to excellence? Their authentic story will be an inspiration to a future generation of entrepreneurs and leaders - from all corners of life - seeking to understand how love and faith conquers all - even in cut-throat, Corporate America. www.imperfectleaders.com

Superstars don't just emerge out of thin air. Every single one of them - including GOATs like Tom Brady and Michael Phelps- must overcome serious personal obstacles. And this usually happens early in life – in the pivotal teenage years. It might surprise you that Brady nearly gave up on football while still in college. But then he met someone special. Today's guest - ⁠Greg Harden⁠ - is perhaps the greatest of all time in his profession - a performance coach and trusted mentor that helps talent reach their full potential - not only as athletes, but as human beings and great leaders. Harden has just released a book that's destined to become a best seller – “Staying Sane in an Insane World.” And if you’ve ever wondered what it takes to become a trusted coach and mentor, Greg shares the very personal story of the crucible moments that helped shape his core values and purpose in life. ⁠www.imperfectleaders.com ⁠, ⁠Jeffrey Cohn⁠