Category Archives: Productivity

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Special Announcement: Changes to Read to Lead in 2025

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Hey there, and welcome to another episode of Read to Lead! I’m Jeff, your host, and I am so glad you’re here. Today’s episode is going to be a little different—no special guests, just me, talking about some pretty major changes coming to the podcast in 2025.

For the last eleven years we’ve had a consistent, once-a-week format.

Every Tuesday, like clockwork, you’d get a fresh episode featuring a new book and usually a conversation with that book’s author. That’s a lot of new books: 52 every year, in fact. Over time, it’s allowed us to cover hundreds and hundreds of amazing titles!

But as exciting as it’s been, I’ve been hearing from many of you that—though you appreciate hearing about so many great books—it’s tough to keep up with everything. And, if I’m honest, it’s become difficult for me to give each book the focused attention and deep dive I think it truly deserves.

So, starting now—in 2025—the Read to Lead Podcast will shift to a once-a-month interview format. That means we’ll have 12 main episodes for the year, each featuring an author whose brand-new book I believe is among the most significant or impactful of 2025.

For more on this, keep scrolling or click the “play” button below.

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553: The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper with Roland Allen

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I’ve been waiting for over a year to bring you today’s conversation and episode. That’s right. It was in the fall of last year that I got word on X about a new book coming out, all about the history of The Notebook.

roland allen

It indeed came out last fall…but only in the UK. It wasn’t slated to come out in the US until today, November 12th.

Turns out, it actually ended up releasing in the US a couple of months ago, an update that I missed. But no matter. I’m still “on schedule” as far as I’m concerned. 😉

And I’m thrilled and geeking out about an historical look at the journey the notebook has taken these last 800 years.

The author of The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper, Roland Allen, reveals the notebook’s surprising and profound influence. Our powerful connection with our notebooks matters, he says. In an age of AI and digital overload, the simple act of moving a pen across a blank pae can boost our creativity and mood—and continues to transform our ideas.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Roland and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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551: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life with Nir Eyal (an Encore Presentation of Episode 284)

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Every so often, someone reaches out to me and says, “You’ve gotta talk to so-and-so.”

Sometimes I’m skeptical, but when it’s a good friend that is doing the talking, my ears perk up. That was the case when it was suggested I chat with today’s guest.

nir eyal

His name is Nir Eyal and he did not disappoint.

His new book is called Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.

In it, he lays bare the secret of finally doing what you say you will do with a four-step, research-backed model.

Indistractable reveals the key to getting the best out of technology, without letting it get the best of us.

Click the play button below to join our conversation now, or keep scrolling for a summary.

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545: The Long-Distance Leader Second Edition with Wayne Turmel

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I am delighted to welcome Wayne Turmel to the show. A second edition of the book The Long-Distance Leader, co-written with Kevin Eikenberry, has been released, updated for a post-pandemic world.

This new version also has a new title. It’s The Long-Distance Leader: Revised Rules for Remarkable Remote and Hybrid Leadership.

wayne turmel

When The Long-Distance Leader was first published, it was pre-pandemic and remote work was in its infancy, with 30% of managers leading at a distance. Now that number is well over 50%!

As more organizations adopt a remote workforce, the challenges of leading at a distance become more urgent than ever. The cofounders of the Remote Leadership Institute, Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel, show you how to guide your team by recalling the foundational principles of leadership whether your teams are remote, hybrid, co-working, or something entirely new!

The new edition comes with an updated and enriched framework for the modern workplace. It introduces new principles and retains proven strategies for effective leadership across distances.

It also features updated exercises that ensure projects stay on track, keep productivity and morale high, and build lasting relationships, along with a new chapter on hybrid workplaces.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Wayne, Kevin, and their work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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538: Efficiency Unleashed: Harnessing AI in the Workplace with Jeff Frownfelter

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Today marks a first ever and a second ever. Let’s take the second, first.

Today’s episode marks only the second time in the history of Read to Lead where the guest is not promoting a book but is, rather, here simply because of their expertise in a specific area.

Jeff Brown

And the “first” is that it’s the first time I’ve ever invited on a guest that I attended high school with!

That was a long time ago. In fact, we graduated 40 years ago this year.

My guest is Jeff Frownfelter. Jeff has spent virtually his entire career in IT, even before they were calling it that. He is also someone who, because of his coding expertise, has taken quite naturally to using AI in his every day life.

Jeff is well ahead of his IT peers when it comes to his AI use. This gives him an advantage. One that you, too, need to consider for the sake of your work.

AI won’t likely replace you and your job in the future. But it’s quite likely that someone using AI will.

I felt who better than my long-time friend and fellow graduate, Jeff, to help us better understand why we should be using AI in our every day work, and how to actually go about it.

Keep scrolling for more on this episode, or click the play button to listen to the episode now.

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