Some leaders leave office and fade into history—others redefine what leadership means long after their tenure ends. In today’s episode, we explore the legacy of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, a leader who proved that true influence isn’t confined to a title.

From his bold honesty during his presidency to his post-office humanitarian work that nearly eradicated Guinea worm disease, Carter demonstrated that true leadership is measured by the lives we touch, not just the positions we hold. The question is: What will your legacy be when your current role ends?

Well, great leaders never stop learning. Tune in now to discover how Carter’s leadership principles can inspire your own journey—because the impact you make today determines the legacy you leave tomorrow.

In this episode:

- Authenticity over popularity

- Building a lasting legacy

- The power of empathy

- Final takeaways and conclusion

Grab your copy of Nicolas' book, The Mammoth in the Room, here: https://mammothleadershipsciences.com/book

Resources Used in the Episode:

Hogan, R., & Kaiser, R. B. (2005). What we know about Leadership. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 169-180. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.169

Vugt, M. van, & Ronay, R. (2014). The evolutionary psychology of leadership: Theory, review, and roadmap. Organizational Psychology Review, 4(1), 74-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041386613493635

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaspokorny

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

Most leaders obsess over their own abilities, but the real magic happens when you unlock what your team can do. Here's the truth. The best leaders don't create clones; they cultivate champions by recognizing and amplifying individual strengths. So today, we’re exploring why every team member is already a champion—and how you can help them prove it.

We’ll break down the evolutionary psychology behind why appreciation fuels performance, how great leaders like Oprah Winfrey and Satya Nadella built high-impact cultures, and the step-by-step framework you need to create a thriving, strengths-based team.

Tune in now for a roadmap to transform your team into a powerhouse of collaboration and results.

In this episode:

- Recognizing team members as champions

- The psychology of appreciation and performance

- Practical steps to building a champion culture

- Key takeaways and conclusion

Grab your copy of Nicolas' book, The Mammoth in the Room, here: https://mammothleadershipsciences.com/book

Resources Used in the Episode:

Gratton and Erickson (2021), "Eight Ways to Build Collaborative Teams" (Harvard Business Review): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5689232_Eight_ways_to_build_collaborative_teams

Baumeister and Leary (2019), "The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation" (Psychological Bulletin): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15420847_The_Need_to_Belong_Desire_for_Interpersonal_Attachments_as_a_Fundamental_Human_Motivation

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaspokorny

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

Imagine leading a team that’s fully engaged, motivated, and driven by a shared purpose. The secret? It’s not about assigning tasks or managing checklists—it’s about igniting a deep desire for the mission. Today, we explore why the most effective leaders don’t just tell people what to do; they inspire them with a vision that fuels action.

Drawing from historical moments, neuroscience, and business insights, we uncover how great leaders—from Eisenhower to NASA’s janitor—created cultures of commitment, not compliance. We’ll explore why humans are hardwired to seek purpose, how dopamine fuels motivation, and what evolutionary science teaches us about leadership.

Whether you’re leading a startup, scaling a business, or managing a high-performance team, this episode gives you practical steps to boost employee motivation and engagement. If you want to go even deeper, check out my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for a roadmap for turning evolutionary insights into powerful business strategies.

In this episode:

- Introduction to purpose-driven leadership

- Lesson 1: Purpose – The Eisenhower example

- Lesson 2: Paint a vision, not just a task list

- Lesson 3: Connect tasks to meaning

- Lesson 4: Empower instead of micromanaging

- The science behind purpose-driven leadership

- Summary of key takeaways and call to action

Grab your copy of Nicolas' book, The Mammoth in the Room, here: https://mammothleadershipsciences.com/book

Resources Used in the Episode:

Hamid, A., Pettibone, J., Mabrouk, O. et al. Mesolimbic Dopamine Signals the Value of Work. Nat Neurosci 19, 117–126 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4173

Mark van Vugt and Anjana Ahuja, 'Naturally Selected: The Evolutionary Science of Leadership' (2011). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006CDDSIU

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaspokorny

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences