3 Takeaways

Lynn Thoman

3 Takeaways features insights from the world’s best thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, scientists and other newsmakers. Each episode ends with 3 key takeaways to help you understand the world in new ways that can benefit your life and career. Hosted by Lynn Thoman.

  • 12 minutes 21 seconds
    We Can’t Stop the Wildfires—But We Can Stop the Disaster (#243)

    Wildfires have ravaged residential communities like never before, and confusion about the causes and solutions is out of control. Listen, as renowned fire scientist Jack Cohen reveals the keys to protecting homes, why more firefighting resources alone aren’t the answer, and the step L.A. does not appear to be taking to minimize future damage.

    1 April 2025, 5:00 am
  • 17 minutes 47 seconds
    The Hidden Pattern in Fires, Earthquakes, Stock Market Crashes, and Even Wars (#242)

    Catastrophes seem to be the new normal. There’s a stunning new scientific belief that although catastrophes are unpredictable, there’s a hidden pattern that explains them all. In other words, fires, avalanches, wars and even stock market crashes aren’t a glitch in the system, they are the system itself. Listen as noted physicist Mark Buchanan reveals more.

    25 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 23 minutes 7 seconds
    NBCUniversal Vice Chair Bonnie Hammer on AI Celebrities, Interactive TV & the Future of Content (#241)

    The media and entertainment world is evolving at warp speed. One person who knows where it’s headed is the legendary Bonnie Hammer, former vice-chair of NBCUniversal. Here, she shares her thoughts on the critical importance of content, why TV shows are more popular than movies, the role of AI in creating entertainment, and much more.

    18 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 24 minutes 23 seconds
    Why Bad Cops Stay and Schools Fail (#240)

    Public employee unions have a death grip on the operating machinery of government. Bad cops can’t be fired, schools can’t work, and politicians sell their souls for union support. The devil is in the astonishing details, and Philip Howard, a brilliant leader of government and legal reform, provides them here. Good news: there is a solution. 

    11 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 21 minutes 28 seconds
    How to Not be Manipulated: A Clever, Crafty PR Exec Reveals Tricks of His Trade (#239)

    Warning: People are out to manipulate you. How? With very sophisticated, deceptive PR techniques. Here, one of Washington’s most wily manipulators of news, Phil Elwood, reveals tricks of his trade — like astroturfing and detonating bombs in a safe location. The more you know about these tricks, the less likely you’ll be conned by them.

    4 March 2025, 6:00 am
  • 16 minutes 35 seconds
    The Power of Leaderless Organizations: How Decentralized Groups are Changing the World (#238)

    What happens when there’s no one in charge? You’d think chaos would reign—but in reality, leaderless organizations are thriving, disrupting industries, and shaping the future. In this episode of 3 Takeaways, New York Times bestselling author Ori Brafman explains why decentralized networks—from Wikipedia to Bitcoin to social movements—are more resilient, adaptable, and powerful than we might expect.

    25 February 2025, 6:00 am
  • 20 minutes 7 seconds
    Whole Foods CEO on The Future of Food: More Than Taste (#237)

    Food. People are demanding more from it these days than taste. They want food to meet their personal health needs. They want it produced using methods that improve the health of the planet, respect the people who grow it, and more. Here, the visionary CEO of Whole Foods Market, Jason Buechel, shares his thoughts on the food of the future and how to satisfy peoples’ appetite for it.

    18 February 2025, 6:00 am
  • 23 minutes 20 seconds
    NBCUniversal Vice Chair Bonnie Hammer: Life Lessons for Getting Ahead (#236)

    NBCUniversal Vice-Chair Bonnie Hammer didn’t climb to the top by following the rules—she rewrote them. In this conversation, she dismantles the biggest career myths, reveals what really drives success, and shares why sweating the small stuff can make or break you. Packed with no-nonsense advice, game-changing insights, and hard-earned wisdom, this episode is a masterclass in ambition, leadership, and career strategy—without the clichés.

    11 February 2025, 6:00 am
  • 23 minutes 18 seconds
    The CIA’s Secrets: Spy Missions, Cyber Wars & Covert Operations (#235)

    The CIA may not be thrilled with this conversation. Here, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and highly regarded CIA expert Tim Weiner reveals stunning details about the agency’s  espionage and covert activities. Learn about the CIA’s greatest successes and failures, its best weapon, how China and Russia are spying on the U.S., and much more.

    4 February 2025, 6:00 am
  • 26 minutes 45 seconds
    Former Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz: Tackling Global Warming and Energy Solutions (#234)

    Energy is complicated. As global demand continues to grow, so does the need for realistic, climate-friendly solutions. Are renewables the answer? How about nuclear power? What is China’s role? Listen, as former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz provides smart answers to daunting questions about energy, and examines the threat of nuclear war.

    28 January 2025, 6:00 am
  • 27 minutes 57 seconds
    Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO James Stavridis Does Not Mince Words (#233)

    When Admiral James Stavridis (Ret) talks, everyone from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump listens. Here, the brilliant former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO shares his thoughts on the U.S. relationship with China; how to fundamentally remake the Middle East; why the U.S. buying Greenland isn’t as crazy as it sounds; the impact of AI on the power of nations; and more.

    21 January 2025, 6:00 am
  • More Episodes? Get the App