Unbossing

Jim Lesser started his career as a receptionist at a New York ad agency. His last role in that same industry was CEO of BBDO San Francisco — one of the few creative directors in advertising to ever make that leap. Now, as Chief Brand Officer at ServiceNow, he's doing something nobody expected: turning a B2B enterprise software company into a brand people actually know and feel something about. This week on Unbossing Jim Lesser talks with Rishad and Drew  about what he had to unlearn to go from receptionist to CCO, from CEO to CMO. Jim opens up about the unlearning that comes with every major career transition and how he went from the fun uncle to the responsible parent, from focusing on his team to focusing on every team. He makes the case that craft and taste is more important in the world of AI than ever before and that micro managing and attention to detail is a very different thing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reed Hastings built Netflix from a DVD-by-mail startup into a global entertainment empire — and then did something most founders never do: he walked away. In this first episode of Unbossing, hosts Rishad Tobaccowala and Drew Ianni sit down with Reed for a candid conversation about the leadership principles he'd keep, the ones he'd rewrite, and what he's learned building something entirely new. Reed opens up about the famous Netflix Culture Memo — what it got right, what it got wrong, and why, if he could do it again, he'd lead with the heart. Now on the board of Anthropic and developing Powder Mountain into a private ski community in Utah, Reed reflects on the shift from the digital to the very physical — and what that's taught him about culture, community, and starting over. This is a conversation about unlearning the rules that made you successful, so you can build something even better.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.