The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast

Curious Leaders Build Stronger, Smarter Teams

Curiosity is not a soft skill. It is one of the strongest predictors of leadership performance and team success. In this episode, John Jantsch talks with leadership strategist and researcher Debra Clary about why curious leaders build stronger, smarter teams and how asking better questions drives engagement, trust, and results. They explore how curiosity can be learned, measured, and practiced, especially in high pressure leadership environments. You will learn how bold questions can reshape culture, unlock performance, and help leaders move from giving answers to developing people. Today we discussed: 00:00 Start 01:51 Improv, Stand-Up, and the Book Journey 03:18 Curiosity as a Superpower and Its Decline 04:40 Data Linking Curiosity to Performance 06:09 From Having Answers to Coaching Teams 09:28 Curiosity Myths and Key Traits 10:57 Measuring and Training Curiosity 12:00 Bold Questions and Team Engagement 13:18 Case Study: Defining the Real Problem 16:26 When Curiosity Is Missing at Work 18:55 Curiosity Habits Leaders Can Use 20:28 Where to Connect Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

AI Will Automate Content. Humans Will Own Strategy

Content is about to become unlimited, cheap, and automated and that changes everything about marketing strategy. John Jantsch sits down with Peter Benei of AI Ready CMO to explore how AI is reshaping marketing teams, why production is no longer the advantage it once was, and what skills marketers must develop to stay relevant. They discuss the evolving role of the CMO, the limits of AI tools, and why judgment, taste, and strategic thinking remain human responsibilities. This episode offers a clear, practical look at what AI really means for the future of marketing. Today we discussed: 00:00 Introduction 01:33 AI vs. Past Tools 03:58 Content Hype Reality 07:17 Automation & Quality 10:38 Human Judgment Matters 12:41 Jobs & Skills Outlook 17:31 Future of the CMO Role 19:29 Tool Landscape Predictions 24:36 Take Action If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

You Can't Self-Care Your Way Out of a Toxic Workplace

You can't self-care your way out of a toxic workplace, and leadership consultant Amy Leneker explains why. In this episode, we unpack how workplace stress, toxic positivity, and broken trust quietly undermine teams, culture, and performance. Amy shares a practical framework leaders can use to identify stress, rebuild trust, and create healthier work environments without superficial fixes. If you lead a team and want real change, this conversation challenges everything you think you know about stress and joy at work. Today we discussed: 00:00 Start 01:10 Meet Amy Leneker 01:56 Recovering Workaholic 03:45 Three-Step Stress Method 05:54 Team Stress Framework 08:42 Joy Strategy and Evolving Culture 13:04 HR's Role 14:25 Work-Life Harmony Part 1 16:40 Generational Differences 18:45 Work-Life Harmony Part 2 Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

How to Capture Attention Without Clickbait

John sits down with communication expert Carmine Gallo to break down how to capture attention without clickbait by using proven persuasion and storytelling principles. They explore the neuroscience of attention, why timeless story structure still works across platforms like TED Talks and TikTok, and how ethical hooks build trust instead of hype. The conversation also dives into using AI without losing authenticity, explaining why human meaning always outperforms optimized grammar. If you want to create content that stands out, earns trust, and keeps audiences listening, this episode delivers practical, science-backed insights. Today we discussed: 00:00 Start 01:10 Meet Carmine Gallo 02:18 Audio Original Format 04:09 Contrast Power: JFK Quote vs AI Replacement Phrase 05:56 Evolution of Storytelling 08:31 Three-Act Structure 13:20 The Hook Explained 17:20 AI & Human Voice 20:43 Storytelling Insights Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

6 Marketing Trends That Will Shape 2026

What should businesses focus on as marketing evolves in 2026? In this solo episode, John Jantsch breaks down 6 marketing trends that will shape 2026, from the growing importance of local SEO and customer retention to the rise of trust-based micro-influencers and authentic content. You'll learn why "real" is replacing viral, how mischief can become a marketing strategy, and why being genuinely helpful is the future of search. This episode offers practical guidance for small businesses and marketers looking to stay relevant, visible, and trusted in a rapidly changing landscape. Today we discussed: 00:00 Start 01:09 Intro 01:58 Local Advantage 04:45 Real is the New Viral 07:26 Mischief Marketing 08:43 Retention is the New Acquisition 10:30 Trust Brokers and Micro-Influencers 12:11 Be the Answer – Helpful Search Content Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts