What if great leadership could go viral? In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, Dr. Jack Zenger joins BreAnne Okoren to explore how positive leadership behaviors—like openness, respect, and accountability—spread through organizations and transform cultures. Drawing on decades of research, Jack reveals why developing leaders at scale creates psychological safety, sparks innovation, and shifts entire organizations. Discover the three actions that make leadership development contagious—and how HR and OD professionals can start a ripple effect of great leadership today.
Key Points
Leadership Behaviors Are Contagious
Positive leadership behaviors—like openness, respect, and accountability—can spread rapidly across teams and functions, reshaping the culture just as viral trends do online.
Psychological Safety Fuels Innovation
When leaders consistently model curiosity, support, and transparency, they create psychologically safe environments where employees feel empowered to speak up, take risks, and innovate.
Widespread Development Drives Culture Change
Developing leaders at all levels—not just high potentials or executives—creates powerful ripple effects that accelerate culture change across an entire organization.
Behavior Change Requires Proven Methods
Lasting growth comes from structured, research-based approaches—such as 360-degree feedback, coaching, and action learning projects—rather than one-off workshops or motivational events.
Sustained Effort Creates Lasting Impact
Multi-year leadership initiatives send a clear message that development is an expectation, not a perk—raising the baseline of leadership effectiveness and embedding positive behaviors into the culture.
Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.
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