The Real Job Of A Leader, With Dave Ulrich

What's the real job of a leader?According to Dave Ulrich, it isn’t having all the answers, building your own reputation, or even telling a compelling story about where you’re going. Great leaders help the people around them build their stories—and create value for others.In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry sits down with Dave, one of the world’s most influential thinkers on leadership, talent, and organizational effectiveness, for a wide-ranging conversation about what great leadership looks like in a rapidly changing world.They explore why many of the fundamentals of leadership are timeless, even as technology and workplace expectations change dramatically. Dave explains the critical distinction between values—what matters to you—and value—what your actions create for someone else. He also shares a simple question leaders can use to rethink how they spend their time: What will happen in someone else's life because of what I do today?Dave and J.R. also discuss the choices and trade-offs that come with ambition, why our definition of success should change at different stages of life, and what Dave learned from deliberately stepping back from his own career while raising his children.And, inevitably, they tackle AI. Dave argues that AI makes distinctly human capabilities more important, not less. As information becomes ubiquitous, leaders will increasingly differentiate themselves through vision, innovation, emotion, judgment, and wisdom.The conversation also explores learning agility, navigating uncertainty, admitting when you don’t know the answer, and becoming comfortable figuring things out alongside the people you lead.Whether you’re a first-time manager or an experienced executive, this episode is a reminder that leadership ultimately isn’t about you. It’s about what becomes possible for other people because you were there.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/dave-ulrich/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io