#240: Scott Boatwright, CEO of Chipotle – Remove complexity to unlock performance

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

#Business #David Novak Leadership #David Novak #MBA #Entrepreneur

23:28

My guest today has been keeping us up to date with the current state of hiring for marketers on a quarterly basis, which has taken us on quite a roller coaster ride. Today we’re going to look at how marketing and communication execs are responding to the latest developments in the world while still needing to get their work done. To take a look at the latest here, I’d like to welcome back to the show Sue Keith, Corporate Vice President at Landrum Talent Solutions. About Sue Keith Sue Keith is Corporate Vice President at Landrum Talent Solutions. With deep expertise in navigating complex labor markets, Sue has a front-row seat to the evolving dynamics of marketing roles, hiring trends, and the broader implications of AI and economic uncertainty. RESOURCES Landrum Talent Solutions: https://www.landrumtalentsolutions.com https://www.landrumtalentsolutions.com This episode is brought to you by Landrum Talent Solutions, a national recruiting firm specializing in marketing and HR positions. https://www.landrumtalentsolutions.com Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Boston, August 11-14, 2025. Register now: https://bit.ly/etailboston and use code PARTNER20 for 20% off for retailers and brands Online Scrum Master Summit is happening June 17-19. This 3-day virtual event is open for registration. Visit www.osms25.com and get a 25% discount off Premium All-Access Passes with the code osms25agilebrand Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company…

17 days ago 50:16

MP3•Episode home

Why do good teams sometimes fall short?

Too often, leaders blame the people — when the real problem is the system they’re working in.

In this episode, Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright shares how operational clarity can unlock performance across your organization.

This conversation is packed with practical insights to help you eliminate friction and elevate your team’s performance.

You’ll also learn:

What you're getting wrong about accountability
Two factors that will boost your confidence
The mindset you need heading into every performance review
Scott’s take on tariffs, consumer confidence – and what it means for leaders right now

Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:

⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go

⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day

Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

394 episodes

#240: Scott Boatwright, CEO of Chipotle – Remove complexity to unlock performance

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

94 subscribers

published 17 days ago

MP3•Episode home

Why do good teams sometimes fall short?

Too often, leaders blame the people — when the real problem is the system they’re working in.

In this episode, Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright shares how operational clarity can unlock performance across your organization.

This conversation is packed with practical insights to help you eliminate friction and elevate your team’s performance.

You’ll also learn:

What you're getting wrong about accountability
Two factors that will boost your confidence
The mindset you need heading into every performance review
Scott’s take on tariffs, consumer confidence – and what it means for leaders right now

Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:

⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go

⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day

Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

394 episodes

#Business #David Novak Leadership #David Novak #MBA #Entrepreneur

All episodes

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

1
#242: Gui Loureiro, CEO of Walmart in Canada, Chile, Mexico & Central America – To transform your business, transform yourself first 58:03

3 days ago58:03

58:03

If you’re wanting to see big change in your company, here’s a question: are you willing to change, too? Gui Loureiro, regional CEO of Walmart for Canada, Chile, Mexico, and Central America, shares what it took to lead a digital and cultural overhaul at Walmart Mexico—and why he had to evolve as a leader to make it happen. This episode is a powerful reminder that the big transformations you want for your team and company will also mean some transformation for you personally. You’ll also learn: A powerful question to ask in meetings that’ll keep your work customer focused Specific strategies that help your team feel valued How to shift to a more agile process for implementing ideas An insight you need to hear before your next career talk with your boss Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

1
3 More Questions (Greg Johnson) with David Novak and Koula Callahan 10:30

6 days ago10:30

10:30

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How can leaders empower their people to own decisions while still ensuring they deliver on what matters most? How can leaders avoid over-indexing on data and still keep people at the heart of decision making? What are the most important ways a leader can set the right tone? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Download today in the App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get coaching from David by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to ensure you never miss an episode!…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

1
#241: Greg Johnson, Owner of the San Francisco Giants – Let people take ownership 48:54

10 days ago48:54

48:54

If your smartest people aren’t stepping up, maybe it’s time to look in the mirror. In this episode, David sits down with Greg Johnson, the Chairman of Franklin Templeton and principal owner of the San Francisco Giants. Greg shares why ownership—not control—is the key to building high-performing teams and retaining top talent. Whether you lead in finance, sports, or anywhere in between, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to give your people more agency and unlock their full potential. You’ll also learn: Why you really shouldn’t wait to fix that personnel issue One danger to watch out for when you expand The two elements to focus on if you want to develop more leaders What really drives employee retention Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

1
3 More Questions (Scott Boatwright) with David Novak and Koula Callahan 12:05

13 days ago12:05

12:05

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: Why might it be smart to lean into a leadership role before it's officially yours? How do developmental initiatives help newly promoted leaders transition into their new roles while maintaining strong relationships with former peers? Why are simple team member exercises like listing out responsibilities so powerful? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — ⁠⁠⁠⁠Download today in the App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get coaching from David by ⁠⁠⁠⁠ signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan ⁠⁠⁠⁠ . It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠ to ensure you never miss an episode!…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

1
#240: Scott Boatwright, CEO of Chipotle – Remove complexity to unlock performance 50:16

17 days ago50:16

50:16

Why do good teams sometimes fall short? Too often, leaders blame the people — when the real problem is the system they’re working in. In this episode, Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright shares how operational clarity can unlock performance across your organization. This conversation is packed with practical insights to help you eliminate friction and elevate your team’s performance. You’ll also learn: What you're getting wrong about accountability Two factors that will boost your confidence The mindset you need heading into every performance review Scott’s take on tariffs, consumer confidence – and what it means for leaders right now Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠ : A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠ : One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

1
3 More Questions (Andy Jassy) with David Novak and Koula Callahan 10:21

20 days ago10:21

10:21

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: How does someone deal with the pressures of figuring out their path early in their career? How does a "shadow role" help prepare both the individual and the company for a smooth leadership transition? How does the paradigm of having either a one-way door or a two-way door decision empower employees within a big company like Amazon? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — ⁠⁠⁠Download today in the App Store⁠⁠⁠ Get coaching from David by ⁠⁠⁠ signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan ⁠⁠⁠ . It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! ⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast ⁠⁠⁠ to ensure you never miss an episode!…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

1
#239: Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon – Start with the customer and work backward 51:40

24 days ago51:40

51:40

It’s easy to say you care about customers. But how do you actually make decisions with them in mind? In this episode, David sits down with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy for a behind-the-scenes look at how one of the world’s biggest companies keeps customer focus at the heart of everything, from product launches to leadership culture. You’ll also learn: The two documents you need before you launch anything big What it’s like to shadow Jeff Bezos in every meeting A simple framework to help you delegate the right decisions Why Andy thinks AI will reinvent customer experience as we know it Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠ : A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go ⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠ : One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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3 More Questions (Ed Bastian) with David Novak and Koula Callahan 9:17

27 days ago9:17

9:17

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: Do leaders need to be readily available, or is there a line? What can other leaders learn from how Ed navigated the reinvention of the company? What would you say to leaders facing unimaginable personal or professional hardship about how to keep going when it all feels like too much? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — ⁠⁠Download today in the App Store⁠⁠ Get coaching from David by ⁠⁠ signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan ⁠⁠ . It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! ⁠⁠ Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast ⁠⁠ to ensure you never miss an episode!…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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#238: Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines – Never stop improving 57:02

4 weeks ago57:02

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Ever catch yourself coasting after a big win? That’s the moment today’s guest would tell you to push even harder. In this episode of How Leaders Lead, Delta CEO Ed Bastian shares how he keeps one of the world’s most awarded airlines moving forward—without getting complacent. You’ll see how his mindset of continuous improvement shapes Delta’s culture, sharpens performance, and helps his team stay ahead in one of the world’s most competitive industries. You’ll also learn: One factor that can always differentiate your business The surprising way that product quality shapes your culture An inspiring mindset for anyone who’s in a tough moment What Tom Brady (yes THAT Tom Brady) is teaching Delta Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠ : A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go ⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠ : One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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3 More Questions (Frank Edwards) with David Novak and Koula Callahan 10:00

5 weeks ago10:00

10:00

On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to: What happens when a leader’s reputation is attacked for something they may not have even done? If you were Frank's mentor, what would you have told him when he had a major setback in starting his new company? Is there a point where involving the team in too many decisions can actually slow down momentum? ——— GO DEEPER Scale up your leadership skills in 2 minutes a day with the How Leaders Lead app — ⁠Download today in the App Store⁠ Get coaching from David by ⁠ signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan ⁠ . It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week! ⁠ Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast ⁠ to ensure you never miss an episode!…

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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#237: Frank Edwards, Managing Partner of Aqueduct Capital Group – Relationships are earned, not assumed 44:04

5 weeks ago44:04

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How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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6 weeks ago1:00:18

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How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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7 weeks ago10:26

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How Leaders Lead with David Novak

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