My top 5 favorite podcasts

October 5, 2011

I love listening to podcasts to get ideas, learn new things and generally get inspired. Because I mostly listen while walking the dog, my favourites  are between 30 minutes and an hour long. Here’s my go-to list of podcasts that consistently hit the mark with interesting content that keeps my attention.

Freakanomics Radio: A look at a wide range of issues from the perspective of a behavioural economist and a journalist in the same vein as the wildly popular Freakanomic books. They explore behaviour, tell stories and illuminate issues you never knew you were interested in – like why there is no advertising on NFL player’s shirts.

HBR Ideacast: Broadcast weekly, this podcast features interviews with business leaders, academics and experts about topics in the current issue of the iconic Harvard Business Review. A recent interview with Francis Ford Coppola discussed his work as a film director (72 movies!) and how owning a winery funds his movies.

The Cranky Middle Manager: A sometimes irreverent look at life in the middle of organizations. Authors who bring a useful perspective to the work of managers are interviewed after a quote of the week that never fails to amaze me with the direct relevance to the discussion. Witty, pithy and useful, there is always a takeaway from this podcast.

Great Work Interviews: Based on the theme of great work (as opposed to good work and bad work), business leaders, writers and interesting people tell the stories of how they’ve overcome challenges or found their great work. Frequently inspiring discussions that get you thinking about things you could do differently to get better results at work.

NPR This American Life: What more can I say than “the most popular podcast in America”. The production values are extremely high as would be expected from NPR. Always thought provoking, especially about topics you hadn’t necessarily given a lot of thought like gossip, the psychopathy test and amusement parks. I don’t mind long walks in the rain when I’m listening to this podcast.

Happy listening!