Behavioral Intelligence for Better Leadership with Jason P. Carroll of Aptive Index

In this episode, Jason P. Carroll, founder of Aptive Index, explores how behavioral intelligence, self-awareness, and empathy help leaders build high-performing teams, strengthen workplace culture, and make better decisions. Together with host Jen Knox Shanahan, he shares practical strategies for understanding what motivates people, navigating conflict, and using AI to support human judgment and more effective leadership.

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Host, Jen Knox Shanahan:

"How can leaders better understand what truly motivates the people that they lead?"

Guest, Jason P. Carroll:

"I mean, I do believe it comes back to self-awareness first. I think most of us walk around not really knowing what our own motivators are and our own needs are. Like, what's really driving my behavior? How do I stay engaged? What gives me energy versus what drains me? And then once I understand that about myself and I start exploring that in other people, I'm able to see that we can actually be radically different.

And that sounds like a no-brainer. But so many of us leaders walk through our day-to-day treating other people the way we want to be treated. To be fair, that's the Golden Rule. And it's not the worst idea, but true leadership is the Platinum Rule.

It's leveling it up. It's learning what drives and motivates other people. How do I lead them the way they want to be led, even if it's completely outside the realm of what I would want? How do I learn that about others and then effectively do that?"

Jen Knox Shanahan:

"Yeah. I think figuring out that we are motivated by different things in and of itself is a huge step. And then once we figure that out, it's okay, now what do we do? Like, how do we actually cater to these different motivations, styles, and the different things people need at different times in their lives as well? I'm curious if you could give me a little bit more insight, just kind of as a follow-up to that question, into maybe how you tackle that, how you have connected with somebody who maybe has a different motivation."

Jason P. Carroll:

"...I don't know if you've heard the term psychometrics, basically scientific personality tests. Right? Think, you know, "Which Hogwarts house are you?" but actually make it scientific. I got introduced to psychometrics back in 2016, and that changed the game for me..."