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There is no such thing as a perfect leader.

Our Institute:

We showcase the remarkable career journeys of imperfect

leaders — modern day icons in business, sports, science, and the arts — who recognize personal imperfections and reforge them into leadership strengths.

 

Imperfect leaders inspire a future generation of talent to reach their full potential.

 

How We Bring Our Mission to Life:

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01
Imperfect Leader Podcast. We find and interview the country's most inspirational leaders — bold, supremely intelligent, and by their own admission, imperfect. Recent guests include World Series and NBA champions, university presidents, chief executives, founders of Pixar, IDEO, Sequoia Capital, and Cirque du Soleil, and thought leaders from Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Oxford, Cambridge, Milken Institute, and the World Economic Forum.
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The Imperfect Leader Challenge.  We offer a small handful of emerging leaders, who work for our partner companies, unparalleled access to a team of advisors – executive coaches, educators, psychologists, and leadership advisors – to help mentally prepare for increasing leadership responsibility in their organization before their next big project or promotion.

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Original Case Studies.  We help our partner companies prepare fresh content on actual leadership challenges faced by their own talent – prepared by our team of former Harvard Business School case writers. Unlike outdated business school case studies, our content inspires truly meaningful group discussions that feel real and relevant... because they are. 

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Imperfect Leader Lab.   Our team of experts works with our partner companies to answer their most intractable talent-related questions, including: How can we enhance our leadership brand — internally and externally? How should we assess leadership potential? How can we help new hires fit into our unique culture? How can we help hard-chargers manage chronic stress, anxiety, and sleepless nights?
 
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Jason Karp – An Imperfect Leader

Featured Podcast Guest

Co-founder of Hu and HumanCo

Jason is a former elite college athlete, Wharton grad (summa cum laude), and hedge fund star who has helped launch several food and health companies, including Hu, True Foods, and Oura. Less well known about Jason, he has suffered from panic attacks, ADHD, insomnia, depression, and hair loss. Jason reflected on his imperfections, and was completely vulnerable with our community.

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A few more invited guests .

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Guest: Dr. Rakesh Suri

Dr. Rakesh Suri knows about chronic stress.  He is one of the top heart transplant surgeons in the world – having held high level positions at both the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, and showcased by Harvard Business School – spoke to our community about how to manage stress during high-pressure, high-stakes moments.

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Guest: Professor Amy Edmondson

Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmonsdson is ranked the #1 Thought Leader in the world and coined the term, "psychological safety." She shared with our community the importance of reducing anxiety and learning from intelligent failure.

03
Guest: John Tyson

John Tyson is the billionaire Chairman of the Board of Tyson Foods, but he's made some bad choices in his life. Some, like denying his alcohol addiction, almost ruined his career.  But John eventually realized the ramifications of his choices – poor health, poor decision making, inauthentic relationships, and low self-esteem. John talked openly about his journey and offered practical advice to those considering alcohol or drugs.

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Guest: Dansby Swanson

Dansby is a World Series champion baseball player,  who now starts for the Chicago Cubs. Less known, he also suffers from severe anxiety, which can be debilitating as a professional athlete who works in the public spotlight under extreme pressure. Dansby explained how it feels when he is in a slump or overcome with self-doubt – and how keeping a journal helps relieve stress.

Our Mission:

Our Institute's mission is to inspire exceptional talent to become more reflective, self-aware leaders and to prepare them mentally for increasing leadership responsibility within their organization.

This is what organizations crave – according to global talent advisors McKinsey, Russell Reynolds, and Spencer Stuart.

 

  • “If some of the worlds best CEOs have discovered the importance of the human side of leadership and have taken the time to go deep within themselves to build that capability, then surely this approach will be valuable to many others in all types of organizations.” McKinsey, 2024

  • “When CEOs can admit their flaws and mistakes, they create a sense of trust and authenticity with all stakeholders." Russell Reynolds, 2024​

  • "Imperfect leaders are more innovative and open to new ideas than leaders who focus on maintaining a perfect image."  Spencer Stuart, 2024​

  • “Adding vulnerability to personal growth journeys heightens leadership potential.”  McKinsey, 2024

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The Imperfect Leaders Institute regularly invites experts from top organizations.

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Why Embrace an Imperfect Leader Mindset?

Because that’s what top companies crave: 

“If some of the worlds best CEOs have discovered the importance of the human side of leadership and have taken the time to go deep within themselves to build that capability, then surely this approach will be valuable to many others in all types of organizations.” McKinsey, 2024

“When CEOs can admit their flaws and mistakes, they create a sense of trust and authenticity with all stakeholders." Russell Reynolds, 2024​

"Imperfect leaders are more innovative and open to new ideas than leaders who focus on maintaining a perfect image."  Spencer Stuart, 2024

“Adding vulnerability to personal growth journeys heightens leadership potential.”  McKinsey, 2024

“Millennials, in particular, want their leaders to share their human side, including their vulnerabilities. What they are seeking, in short, is authenticity.“ Russell Reynolds, 2024

Imperfect Leaders
Global Media

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© 2024-2025 by CEO FELLOWS LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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