ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What does it mean to lead well in a world obsessed with tools, speed, and technological change?
In this episode of Lead Human, Jack Myers and Tim Spengler sit down with Ken Dychtwald, founder of Age Wave, for a far-reaching conversation about integrity, curiosity, longevity, purpose, and the human qualities that matter most as we move deeper into the AI era.
Ken reflects on the leaders who shaped him, including Jimmy Carter, and explains why integrity, courage, dependability, and the ability to point people toward a path forward remain the core of real leadership. He shares how his idea of radical curiosity took shape, why human potential first captured his imagination, and why he believes we are spending too much time talking about tools and not enough time talking about the extraordinary capabilities of people.
The conversation also explores longevity, aging, dementia, health span, purpose, retirement, communication, relationships, and the lessons Ken would offer his younger self. It is a rich and deeply human discussion about how to live well, lead well, and stay open to possibility across a long life.
Lead Human is hosted by Jack Myers & Tim Spengler, produced by Wondir Studios (Desta Wondirad), in association with Acast.
00:00 Why subscribing and sharing matter more than ever
00:52 The publishing boom and the discoverability crisis
02:15 Why trust matters more than attention
06:04 Intro – meet Ken Dychtwald
07:04 Why Ken’s work on aging and longevity matters now
10:23 Leadership lesson 1: integrity
10:42 Jimmy Carter and leading by example
12:08 Courage, dependability, and showing people a path forward
13:47 How Radical Curiosity got its name
16:08 Is deep curiosity learned or innate?
17:03 Human potential and the course that changed Ken’s life
19:25 Advice for young people in an age of AI and longer lives
20:37 Will we have one career or ten?
22:23 We are talking too much about tools and not enough about humans
25:21 Why business still needs more humanity
26:31 Sam Altman, Tim Berners-Lee, and the values of innovation
28:33 Caregiving, elder care, and leadership empathy
29:30 Longevity, lifespan, and health span
31:29 Why defeating Alzheimer’s is the biggest challenge
33:09 Jonas Salk, polio, and the future of aging science
35:29 The new role models for longer lives
37:23 What 76-year-old Ken would tell his younger self
39:16 Why failure was a necessary teacher
40:40 How to become a better communicator
42:34 The central lesson of a well-lived life
43:38 Ken on marrying his wife every year
45:53 Relationships, integrity, and final takeaways
49:25 Outro – share the episode and unleash the human potential
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