Free Daily Podcast Summary
The Lift: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Editaudio
Welcome to The Lift, the show about leadership, growth, and getting what we want. On The Lift, we pull up to see the bigger picture from accomplished leaders who know how to get things done in a rapidly changing world. Host Ben Brooks dives deep into a relevant leadership topic each episode and connects the dots to leave you with powerful distinctions that you can use as a leader.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 6 days ago19 min
Close the loop: Incompletions are why everything you haven't finished is draining you (and your company)
Ben went to Salzburg for two weeks of “pure PTO” vacation. He ended up spending the first day and a half locked in a hotel room, heart rate elevated, surrounded by sticky notes. In today’s episode, we cover incompletions: the tasks that haven't been done, the conversations that haven't happened, the decisions still open. And why they are probably quietly costing you, your coworkers, and your organization more than you realize.Topic Highlights:– What "attention residue" is and why your brain stays at work long after you've left the building. – Why incompletions don't just drain you personally – they quietly stall entire organizations. – What being on the receiving end of someone else's incompletion actually does to them. – The 20-minute microdose you should take before any vacation, big deadline, or leadership transition.Guest Bio:Ben Brooks is a leadership strategist, career innovator, executive coach, founder of PILOT, and host of The Lift. He loves traveling, making new friends, and of course, his dog, Jetson. Episode Links:The LiftPILOTConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 1 weeks ago40 min
How to navigate conflict at work: Harvard Business Review’s Amy Gallo on leaning into hard conversations
When was the last time someone on your team told you something you didn't want to hear? If you have to think about it, you have your answer.Too many leaders have spent their entire careers avoiding conflict, and now they're running teams where nobody tells them anything useful, nothing real gets decided, and everyone is very, very pleasant about it.According to Amy Gallo, this isn't harmony – it's dysfunction with better manners.This is one of our favorite episodes from earlier this year. It originally aired on May 19, 2026.Topic Highlights:– Why the cost of staying silent is almost always higher than the cost of speaking up– The "eight-lane highway to harmony" metaphor about conflict avoidance– How AI is quietly making us worse at disagreeing with real humans– The important difference between being liked and being respected– The practice of "conversational receptivity"Guest Bio:Amy Gallo is an expert on workplace conflict and feedback, a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, and the author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People).Episode Links:Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)Radical CandorThe Five Dysfunctions of a TeamConflict at Work: How to Have the Hard Conversation You’ve Been AvoidingConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 2 weeks ago35 min
Are you getting your money's worth from your HR function? Part 2 with HR Happy Hour’s Trish Steed & Steve Boese
Have you ever had this thought? “I have an HR problem. They’re too slow. Too reactive. Too focused on process and compliance.” Here's an uncomfortable possibility: the HR you're complaining about may just be the HR you bought.If you've only ever funded HR for compliance and recruiting, don't be surprised when that's all you get. Part two in our series about getting the most out of your HR function is about what you're responsible for as a business leader, and how to fix it when it’s broken.Topic Highlights:– The HR-to-employee ratio you should be targeting – How to make the case to a CFO who only cares about EBITDA – The three questions to ask to find out if you've got a real HR partner– Why AI is the best argument for investing more in HR, not less Guest Bio:Trish Steed is CEO and principal analyst at H3 HR Advisors, and a former HR executive across Big Four, healthcare, and IT. Steve Boese is an H3 HR co-founder and a program chair of the HR Technology Conference.Episode Links:Part 1: The Hidden Weight of HRH3 HR AdvisorsHR Happy Hour Media NetworkConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 3 weeks ago31 min
The hidden weight of HR - Part 1: HR Happy Hour’s Trish Steed & Steve Boese on the cost of underusing your HR team
Most executives think of HR as an order window. Fire this person. Hire that one. Fix the culture. Improve the managers. But underneath that fictional menu is a function absorbing things no one ever puts on a report: the weight of every employee's hardest moments, handled quietly, while still being expected to move the business forward.In part one of this two-part conversation, we pull back the curtain on what HR actually carries.Topic Highlights:– Why treating HR like an order menu is the most expensive mistake executives make– What HR partnership actually looks like– The value of involving HR in strategy upfront– Why shifts in employee output might not be about performance– The most underused resource in your benefits packageGuest Bio:Trish Steed is CEO and principal analyst at H3 HR Advisors, and a former HR executive across Big Four, healthcare, and IT. Steve Boese is an H3 HR co-founder and a program chair of the HR Technology Conference.Episode Links:H3 HR AdvisorsHR Happy Hour Media NetworkFrom Worst to First by Gordon BethuneConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Aug 18, 202622 min
Don’t chase the wave you missed: Overcoming complacency with Cisco’s Snorre Kjesbu
Complacency doesn't feel like standing still. It feels like winning. Right up until it doesn't.That's the trap Snorre Kjesbu has spent his career trying to help his organization escape. As SVP & GM of Collaboration at Cisco, he runs a multi-billion dollar business, holds 20+ patents, and is blunt about where this ends: companies that stop pushing themselves don't just slow down. They go out of business.Topic Highlights:– The window of opportunity: why being four years too early costs you just as much as being four years too late– Why chasing the wave you missed is a losing game (and what to do instead)– The four questions every leader should ask every quarter to stay ahead of complacency– What an effective “AI forward” team actually looks likeGuest Bio:Snorre Kjesbu is SVP & GM of Collaboration at Cisco and holder of 20+ patents. Episode Links:Snorre Kjesbu on LinkedInConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Aug 11, 202634 min
Honesty at Work 101: What being an FBI informant taught Tom Hardin about creating a culture of truth
Tom Hardin was a rising hedge fund analyst making good money in New York City when he decided to make a few trades on inside information. Then the FBI tailed him at 6:30 AM outside his dry cleaner. In the 18 months that followed, he wore a wire more than 40 times as an informant in the largest insider trading investigation in US history.What he learned about getting people to finally share what they've been hiding is something no management book has ever taught.Topic Highlights:– The three meeting sequence that gets people to stop performing and start telling the truth– The 10/80/10 model and why the 80% in the middle will follow what the leading 10% does– How unclear goals create the conditions for ethical drift without anyone noticing– Why not understanding the difference between a mistake and a bad decision is often how cover-ups startGuest Bio:Tom Hardin is “Tipper X,” the FBI's most prolific cooperating informant in Operation Perfect Hedge, and the author of Wired on Wall Street.Episode Links:Wired on Wall Street by Tom HardinConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Aug 4, 202619 min
Self-advocacy: The most important rule that nobody teaches you with Ben Brooks
Just Ben this week. In our very first solo episode, we go deep on the topic Ben has been teaching inside every PILOT cohort since day one, the one that shows up in almost every coaching conversation he has, the one that he considers the single biggest unlock in a career: self-advocacy. Knowing what you need, knowing how to ask for it specifically, and being willing to hear no – and knowing when and how to ask again.Topic Highlights:– Why the current moment makes self-advocacy more urgent, not less– The fear of rejection reframe: why if you haven't been told no recently, you're probably not asking enough– What a specific, “shovel-ready” ask looks like– The information asymmetry most people miss: your manager almost certainly doesn't know what you need– The secret menu: why your career’s has more options on it than the one you've been ordering fromGuest Bio:Ben Brooks is a leadership strategist, career innovator, executive coach, the founder of PILOT, and host of The Lift. He loves travel, making new friends, and of course, his dog, Jetson. Episode Links:PILOTConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Jul 28, 202637 min
Replay: How Michael Miller uses meditation to reduce stress and gain time
“Running is my meditation.” Michael Miller hears this a lot. His response: “Knitting is my rock climbing.” If you've been telling yourself exercise counts as meditation, this is the episode that gently, convincingly, changes your mind.Topic Highlights– The three types of meditation and why the one most leaders try is the hardest and least effective– How a 20-minute practice twice a day can actually give you more time back, not less– The difference between being a net giver and a net taker (and why it starts with your nervous system, not your calendar)– Why Vedic meditation was specifically designed for people with jobs, families, and actual responsibilitiesGuest BioMichael Miller is the founder of New York Meditation Center and London Meditation Centre, a Vedic meditation teacher with nearly 10,000 students worldwide, and the person who taught Ben to meditate 15 years ago.Episode Links:New York Meditation CenterLondon Meditation CentreVedic MeditationMeditation for Busy Leaders: How Michael Miller Uses Vedic Practice to Reduce Stress and Gain TimeConnect with Us:theliftpod.comLet’s stay in touchSubscribe to The LiftFind Ben online: LinkedIn | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
About The Lift
Welcome to The Lift, the show about leadership, growth, and getting what we want. On The Lift, we pull up to see the bigger picture from accomplished leaders who know how to get things done in a rapidly changing world. Host Ben Brooks dives deep into a relevant leadership topic each episode and connects the dots to leave you with powerful distinctions that you can use as a leader.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from The Lift in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's The Lift daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of The Lift as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the The Lift podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official The Lift product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Editaudio.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
What topics does The Lift cover?
The Lift covers topics including Business. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting The Lift summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.