Afleveringen
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What does strategy really mean when the word is everywhere, yet real strategic practice remains so rare?
In this solo episode, David Lancefield takes on one of the most overused and misunderstood ideas in business. Drawing on nearly 30 years advising CEOs, C-suite leaders, founders, and leadership teams, he makes the case for a broader, more practical, and more human view of strategy.
David explores why strategy so often gets trapped in decks, town halls, and top-level statements, while people across organisations are left unclear on the choices they can make and the contribution they can bring. He argues for a different approach: one that connects strategy with foresight, participation, ecosystems, self-management, and the wise use of AI — and brings it into the everyday moments that shape how we live and lead.
If you want to think more clearly, act more intentionally, and raise your strategic game in your organisation, your team, and your own life, this episode will give you a fresh lens and a practical way forward.
“Strategy is a practice for everyone, professional or personal.” – David Lancefield
You’ll hear about:
Why strategy is treated as distant and eliteStrategy defined: choices that move you to betterWhy strategy and execution must stay togetherStrategies that get announced but never translated downWhy more people need confidence to be strategicThe growing importance of foresight within strategyWhat open strategy looks like in practiceWhy ecosystems should shape strategy design and deliveryHow self-managed teams raise the bar for strategyWhere AI helps in strategy and where it doesn'tThe seven daily moments that make or break a dayWhy strategy is a practice for everyoneMore about David
David Lancefield is a strategy and leadership advisor, coach, writer, and speaker who works with CEOs, C-suite executives, and founders at some of the world’s top organisations. Over nearly 30 years, he has worked with more than 60 CEOs and hundreds of senior leaders on strategy, leadership, culture, decision-making, and growth.
He writes for Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Review, strategy+business, Fast Company, and Forbes, and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, The Times, and The Guardian. David is a former senior partner at Strategy&/PwC, a guest lecturer at London Business School, and the author of the newsletter Every Day is a Strategy Day.
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ).
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj).
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds).
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).
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What if failure hits differently depending on your gender?
In this episode I speak with Deborah Grayson Riegel, an executive coach and author whose research across 1,100 women in 60 countries reveals why women experience setbacks more intensely than men, and what to do about it.
We dig into why women tend to ruminate longer, and see failure as identity rather than event, and where those patterns come from.
We explore the practical tools that can shift all of that: how to reframe failure, ask for better feedback, tackle invisible work, and build the kind of support network that helps you aim higher and recover faster.
If you are a woman navigating setbacks, this episode will change how you think about failure and what becomes possible on the other side. And if you lead or work alongside women, it will make you a better teammate and leader.
"Women see failure as their identity, not an event." — Deborah Grayson Riegel
You’ll hear about
What failure really means and why it's broader. Why women personalise and ruminate more after setbacks. The five types of failure and which hit hardest. How failure patterns start from age five. The confidence gap versus the consequence gap. Shifting from "what if" to "even if I fail." How to ask for better, more specific feedback. Navigating non-promotable and invisible work. The Ground, Gather and Go framework.About Deborah:
Deborah Grayson Riegel is a keynote speaker and consultant who teaches leadership communication for Wharton Business School, Duke Business School, and Columbia Business School. She is a regular contributor for Harvard Business Review, Inc., Psychology Today, Forbes, and Fast Company. Deb consults and speaks for clients including Amazon, BlackRock, Bloomberg, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, and The United States Army. Her work has been featured in worldwide media, including Bloomberg Businessweek, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. She is the co-author of the new book, “Aim High and Bounce Back: A Successful Woman’s Guide to Rethinking and Rising Up from Failure”.
Website: https://deborahgraysonriegel.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Deborah-Grayson-Riegel
Book Link: https://shorturl.at/nuPna and https://shorturl.at/OsWtU
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ).
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj).
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds).Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI). -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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How many of us are chasing a version of success that was never really ours to begin with?
My guest is Janine Mathó, author of Live Your Opus and executive coach to ambitious leaders. After navigating burnout and the loss of her mother, she went on a multi-year quest to answer one question: how can ambitious people achieve healthy, meaningful success without losing themselves along the way?
We explore what it really takes to sustain high performance over time, why energy is the architecture of how you show up as a leader, and why the answer isn't to lower your ambition but to raise your capacity to meet it.
If you want to lead at your best without burning out, this conversation will give you a new way to think about your life, your energy and what high performance really requires.
"Energy is the architecture of how you show up as a leader." — Janine Mathó
You’ll hear about
Treating your life as your greatest work.Energy as your earliest signal of misalignment.Burnout forcing a complete redefinition of success.Inherited success stories blocking real change.Why energy is the architecture of performance.Starting the conversation in hard-edged cultures.Overcoming fear of being seen as weak.Diagnostic questions every leader should ask themselves.Best day habits and micro practices.Why upgrading yourself beats just upskilling.About Janine:
Janine Mathó is a former Harvard and Pearson executive and a trusted advisor to senior leaders running large, complex institutions. Her work focuses on strengthening the leadership capacity required to sustain high performance in today’s high-pressure environment. Over a 25-year career spanning corporate, nonprofit, and academic sectors, she has helped organisations navigate transformation at scale, shaped global strategy on the future of learning and work, and raised more than $30 million for learning innovation. She received a Massachusetts Congressional Award for her service to education. Her focal areas include sustainable high performance, leadership capacity under pressure, aligning ambition with human capacity, and decision-making in complex systems. She is the author of Live Your Opus (Amplify, 2026).
Profile: https://shorturl.at/Z19to
Book: Live Your Opus: Reclaim Your Energy, Redefine Succes, and Create a Life That Truly Matters https://shorturl.at/30KEL
Newsletter: Live Your Opus https://shorturl.at/Ixvxj
Website: https://shorturl.at/XY1hh
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ).
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj).
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds).Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI). -
What does love have to do with leadership? More than most leaders dare to admit.
My guest is Gianpiero Petriglieri, a professor at INSEAD and one of the most original and provocative voices on leadership today. We explore his idea of leadership as a kind of love, not sentimental or naive, but deeply relational. He makes a compelling distinction between performance and outcome, arguing that what you can control is not the result but the daily choices and gestures you make.
We go into the practical too. Gianpiero shares why curiosity and generosity shift everything, and why what really develops leaders is relationships with people who tell you the truth.
If you lead a team or organisation, this conversation will invite you to look differently at the small moments of time, attention and care that make leadership real, credible and human.
"Leadership is a relationship, not a toolkit." - Gianpiero Petriglieri
You’ll hear about:
Leadership reframed as a kind of love.Instrumental versus humanistic relationships.Curiosity and generosity as leadership habits.Feeling safe and free at the same time.Why passion without devotion disappoints.Balancing reality and imagination.People, not programmes, develop leaders.Advice for leaders in a new role.Culture lives in the spreadsheet.Investment as leadership credibility.Quick-fire round on presence and connection.Gianpiero's best day habits.About Gianpiero Petriglieri:
Gianpiero Petriglieri is Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD and an expert on leadership and learning in the workplace.
His award-winning research and teaching focus on what it means, and what it takes, to become a leader. He is particularly interested in the meaning and practice of leadership in the age of “nomadic professionalism,” an age in which people have deep bonds to work but loose affiliations to organisations, and authenticity and mobility have replaced loyalty and advancement as hallmarks of virtue and success. A Medical Doctor and Psychiatrist by training, Gianpiero has worked as an executive coach, practiced as a psychotherapist, and served on the staff of group relations conferences in Europe and the United States.
Profile: https://shorturl.at/WYvT1
Instagram: https://shorturl.at/qMHeZ
Writing: https://shorturl.at/rHAbb
Research: https://shorturl.at/Bj650
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
· Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
· About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
· Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds).
· Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).
· Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).
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What really blocks capable leaders from progressing, even when performance looks strong on the surface?
In this conversation, I’m joined by executive coach and author Muriel Wilkins to examine how beliefs and assumptions operate like a personal strategy model, shaping the decisions we make.
Muriel draws on her coaching work and personal experience to unpack the seven common beliefs that limit leadership growth. We discuss how these beliefs show up as micromanagement, frustration or dissonance between intent and impact.
We also explore Muriel’s three stage framework of uncovering, unpacking and unblocking beliefs, how reframing creates new choices, and what it looks like to coach yourself before coaching others.
Which belief is shaping how you lead today?
“Leadership blocks are signals, not flaws.” - Muriel Wilkins
You’ll hear about:
Why beliefs work like a personal strategy modelThe seven beliefs that commonly block leadersWhy micromanagement limits leading at scaleExternal versus internal signals of being blockedHow dissonance reveals leadership growth momentsThe belief behind feeling you do not belongWorking strategically within systemsThe three step unblock frameworkReframing beliefs to change leadership impactCoaching yourself before coaching othersWhy culture change starts with beliefsMuriel’s best day habit of adaptive focusAbout Muriel Wilkins:
Muriel M. Wilkins, founder and CEO of Paravis Partners, is a sought-after C-suite adviser and executive coach with a twenty-year track record of helping senior leaders take their performance to the next level. She is the author of Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential and coauthor of Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence. Muriel is the host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Coaching Real Leaders, consistently ranked as a top-ten podcast in Apple's Management category. She was recently shortlisted for the 2025 Thinkers50 Coaching and Mentoring Award.
Resources:
Website: Murielwilkins.comPodcast: https://www.murielwilkins.com/podcast-coaching-real-leadersBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647827264Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murielwilkins/ and https://www.instagram.com/coachmurielwilkins/My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI) -
What does it take to lead at the board level when the ground beneath you keeps shifting?
My guest, Shefaly Yogendra, is a board director, advisor and author who has served on boards across sectors and geographies. She brings a forensic ability to ask the right questions, a deep understanding of governance under pressure, and the kind of clarity that only comes from years of experience in the room.
We get into what separates boards that add genuine value from those that go through the motions, why cognitive flexibility and moral inflexibility must coexist, and how boards should approach AI as a source of risk, not just a useful tool.
If you sit on a board, work with one, or are aiming to, this conversation will change how you think about what great governance looks like in practice.
“A good board is where nobody is affronted by questions” – Shefaly Yogendra
You’ll hear about:
The real dual role of boards.Leading when the ground keeps shifting.Mindsets to add and subtract now.Cognitive flexibility vs moral inflexibility.The board’s creation and mentoring role.How boards shape and sharpen strategy.Most damaging boardroom behaviour to address.Agenda design and board preparation.How effective board decisions get made.AI in the boardroom and its risks.Superpower: reading widely, connecting dots faster.About Shefaly:
Shefaly Yogendra, PhD is an internationally experienced strategist. She has worked closely with Owner-led as well as Professional Manager-led organisations in their journey towards enhanced resilience with a focus on technology innovation, risk and foresight, and governance. Shefaly is an independent non-executive board director and experienced committee chair in regulated sectors including financial services, energy, higher education and legal services. She is a trusted boardroom adviser and a popular speaker and podcast guest on themes such as AI, GRC, investment, and future skills.
Resources:
· Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shefaly/
· Book ‘Uncharted spaces’: https://www.unchartedspaces.info/
· Spoken thought leadership: https://shefaly-yogendra.com/speaking-writing-media/
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
· Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
· About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
· Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
· Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
· Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
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I'm writing a book. There, I said it out loud.
And in this episode, I invited someone who knows exactly what that means to put me in the hot seat.
Scott Miller is a literary agent, 8 x best-selling author, and former podcast host of one of the world's most popular weekly leadership shows. He's represented hundreds of authors and been part of teams that have sold over 100 million copies of books. In this special episode, we swap chairs. Scott interviews me about my forthcoming book, Daily Strategies, and I interview him about what it takes to write, launch and land a great book.
We get into the architecture of Daily Strategies, the seven moments and seven days that form the spine of the book, and why I believe strategy needs to move from the boardroom into the everyday decisions of mid-career professionals. Scott shares his own writing process, why he writes for readers who are like him, and why platform building matters far more than most authors realise.
If you've ever thought about writing a book, are in the middle of one, or just want a behind-the-scenes look at what a book really takes, this one is for you.
“Writing a book is 10% of the process.” – Scott Miller
You’ll hear about:
Why I decided to write a book now.The ideal reader for Daily Strategies.The personal story behind the book.The architecture of the seven moments.How to reset after a difficult or shocking moment.How readers will use the book day to day.Scott's writing process and style.Balancing storytelling with practical toolkits.The one thing authors must nail.Why platform matters more than content.Scott's biggest superpower as an author.Scott's best day habit and what fuels it.About Scott:
Scott Jeffrey Miller is an eight-time Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author and for seven years hosted the world's largest weekly leadership podcast, On Leadership with Scott Miller. Scott is the cofounder of The Gray + Miller Agency, a literary, speaking, and talent agency representing hundreds of internationally recognised thought leaders and also cofounded Maison Vero, a professional publishing house bringing authors' books of all genres to the world's marketplace.
Resources:
Profile: https://shorturl.at/7lSa1
Website: https://shorturl.at/ZnApj
Gray + Miller Agency: https://shorturl.at/4VX1h
Instagram: https://shorturl.at/iZgV2
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter http://bit.ly/36WRpri for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
· Services https://rb.gy/ahlcuy to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
· About me https://rb.gy/dvmg9n - my background, experience and philosophy.
· Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds
· Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP
· Follow me and engage with me on Twitter https://bit.ly/36XavNI
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What does courage really look like in leadership?
Often, we associate courage with bold gestures, fearless leaders, or decisive moments where doubt disappears.
My guest in this conversation is Professor Ranjay Gulati of Harvard Business School, who challenges that assumption through his research into what he calls the surprising science of everyday courage, and shows why fear is not a flaw in leadership but a starting point.
We explore why courage is a decision rather than a personality trait, how leaders can resource themselves when uncertainty rises, and the difference between thoughtful courage and reckless action. Ranjay shares stories from his research and personal experience that reveal how narrative, support squads, rituals and process help individuals and organisations act boldly with purpose.
If you’re facing decisions that feel uncomfortable this episode will help you build courage deliberately and use it as a practical leadership skill.
“Fear is a reaction; courage is a decision” – Ranjay Gulati
You’ll hear about
Why courage is a decision, not a traitHow fear shows up in leadership decisionsCourage versus recklessnessIndividual courage versus collective courageThe power of personal narrativeHow leaders resource themselvesSupport squads and courageous leadershipWhy courage is a team sportRituals that help manage fearBuilding courage as a muscleCommon leadership blind spots around courageAbout Ranjay Gulati:
Ranjay Gulati is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. His pioneering work focuses on unlocking organizational and individual potential—embracing courage, nurturing purpose-driven leaders, driving growth, and transforming businesses. The Economist, Financial Times and the Economist Intelligence Unit have listed him as among the top handful of business school scholars whose work is most relevant to management practice. He is a Thinkers50 top management scholar, and serves on the board of several entrepreneurial ventures. He is the author of Deep Purpose (2022) and How to be Bold (2025), both published by HarperCollins. He lives in Newton, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranjay-gulati/
Book - How to be Bold: the Surprising Science of Everyday Courage: https://ranjaygulati.com/how-to-be-bold/
Research - https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=77265
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI) -
What if loneliness at work isn’t a personal weakness but a strategic signal?
That’s the case my guest, Dr Connie Noonan Hadley, makes in this conversation. She’s an Organisational Psychologist, the founder of the Institute for Life at Work, and one of the world’s leading experts on workplace loneliness and social connection.
We explore why loneliness is on the rise even in busy offices and hybrid teams, and why it’s not about being alone, but about the emotional distress that comes from missing the positive connections we need. Connie explains why return to office mandates rarely solve the problem, and how loneliness can quietly drain motivation, creativity and trust, the lifeblood of performance.
Connie gives practical guidance for leaders to understand, normalise and address loneliness through small but powerful shifts in conversation, time and reward systems.
If you’re leading a team or organisation this episode will help you see loneliness as a core signal of how well your culture enables people to thrive, perform and feel human.
“Connection is a performance driver, not a luxury.” - Connie Noonan Hadley
You’ll hear about
· What loneliness at work really means
· Common myths about hybrid work and connection
· Signs leaders should look for in their teams
· The UNITE framework for reducing loneliness
· Why connection drives productivity and creativity
· How AI is reshaping human connection at work
· Practical steps for leaders and individuals
About Connie:
Dr Connie Noonan Hadley is a leading organisational psychologist. She is the founder of the Institute for Life at Work and a research associate professor at the Boston University Questrom School of Business. Her focal areas include the impact of Al on interpersonal dynamics at work, loneliness, psychological safety, trust, burnout, mental health, team effectiveness, and the management of human capital. She has been published widely and was named to the Thinkers50Radar List for her rising global influence as a management scholar.
Resources:
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connie-noonan-hadley-7303066/Institute for Life at Work: https://www.institutelifework.org/‘We’re still lonely at work’ HBR article (including loneliness tool): https://tinyurl.com/yc29dr7eWork Loneliness Scale (free tool to measure your loneliness): https://ck5tzycazgv.typeform.com/to/F39lnzno#source_id=LotLMy resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
· Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
· About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
· Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
· Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
· Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
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What separates a good team from a world-class one.
My guest today has lived that question at the highest levels. Ollie Phillips captained England in rugby sevens, rowed across oceans, and now runs Optimist Performance, helping teams move from great to world class.
We explore why most organisations spend 95% of their time playing the game and only 5% practising the hard skills of leadership and teamship. Ollie reveals how elite teams build unshakeable trust, why practising discomfort before big moments matters, and how momentum can be the most contagious force in any environment.
You'll hear about Ollie’s transition from being the best in the world to starting again as a beginner, and how infectious energy combined with clarity of purpose creates unstoppable teams.
If you're leading a team right now, this conversation will give you fresh tools to unlock world-class performance.
“We spent 95% of our time practising for 5% of the delivery” — Ollie Phillips
You’ll hear about
Why practising discomfort builds world-class performance capabilityCreating communities through shared experiencesTrust as the foundation of high-performing teamsCommunication that considers how messages need to be heardRed flags in team environments and cultures The difference between never losing and loving winningWhy 95% of time goes to playing versus practisingRecognising progress without comparing yourself to othersHow momentum multiplies in both directionsAbout Ollie:
Ollie's journey has taken him from international rugby pitches to the boardrooms of global businesses, across oceans, over mountain peaks, and into some of the toughest environments on Earth. What unites it all? A lifelong obsession with unlocking performance — in himself, and in others.
He captained England Rugby 7s, was named World 7s Player of the Year, and coached Wales Women and China’s Olympic programme. He's swum the English Channel, circumnavigated the globe, stood at the North Pole, and holds four world records for feats of endurance and teamwork in some of the planet’s most extreme locations.
Alongside that, he's held senior leadership roles at PwC, advising global businesses on culture, strategy, and transformation. He now sits on boards across private equity, sport, and exploration, and holds an Executive MBA from Cambridge.
Resources:
Profile: https://shorturl.at/aY7Ie
Optimist Performance: https://shorturl.at/9upbU
Insights: https://shorturl.at/k7P4d
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
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What if the reason so many mergers, acquisitions and restructurings fail isn’t strategy or execution but grief?
That’s the case my guest, Jennifer Fondrevay, makes in this episode. She’s the author of Now What: A Survivor’s Guide for Thriving Through M&A and an advisor to leaders navigating high-stakes transitions.
We explore why unacknowledged grief can quietly drain 25–30% of productivity, and sabotage deal outcomes. Jennifer takes us through the five stages of grief in an organisational context, offering practical strategies leaders can use right away.
You’ll hear how to recognise the signals of grief, give people language for what they’re experiencing, and channel that energy into performance and purpose. We also discuss why high performers often struggle the most, and why keeping customers as your North Star helps teams overcome turf battles.
If you’re leading change in your organisation right now, this conversation will give you a new lens and actionable tools to turn loss into momentum
“They’re mourning the loss of the future that won’t be.” — Jennifer Fondrevay
You’ll hear about
Why productivity drops 25-30% after M&A announcementsThe five stages of organisational grief explainedPractical leadership scripts for major change announcementsHow to handle anger without dismissing concernsKeeping customers as your North StarThe former rock star phenomenon during transitionsPreparing boards and leaders before deals happenWhy high performers struggle most with changeThe employee engagement and customer relationship linkAbout Jennifer:
Jennifer J. Fondrevay is the field-tested Founder and Chief Humanity Officer of Day1 ReadyTM, the M&A whisperer for CEOs and leaders who know "synergies" don't magically happen by themselves.
After navigating multibillion-dollar deals, Jennifer wrote the manual everyone wishes they'd had: "NOW WHAT? A Survivor's Guide for Thriving Through Mergers & Acquisitions", helping executives lead when the playbook gets thrown out the window.
Crowned #1 M&A Speaker by Research Leadership Institute, Jennifer's the go-to expert when uncertainty strikes. Her wisdom graces Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Inc.
Resources:
Profile: https://shorturl.at/i1go1
Book: https://shorturl.at/ufZRq
Article on employee grief in organisational transitions: https://shorturl.at/gLxsK
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI) -
Incumbent traditional organisations are doomed to failure.
That’s a misleading view that permeates the world of digital transformation. In fact, they can thrive if they develop the right mindsets and capabilities.
Julian Birkinshaw joins me to explore more of the myths and misconceptions surrounding digital transformation, the discipline of balancing today’s pressures with tomorrow’s opportunities, and the art of thoughtful experimentation. Julian draws on his research and his role as Dean of Ivey Business School to show how leaders can navigate profound change without rushing into costly mistakes.
We also examine the leadership qualities needed to inspire innovation across large organisations, the realities of tenure in academia, and his personal habits that fuel sustained strategic performance.
If you lead a team or organisation wrestling with disruption, this discussion offers practical insights for staying relevant and resilient.
“Incumbents have strengths that start-ups can only dream of.” – Julian Birkinshaw
You’ll hear about
Myths that distort the digital disruption narrativeData revealing incumbent companies’ hidden resilienceBuilding a digital mindset across established organisationsBalancing present performance with future opportunityWhy “fast-second” often beats first-mover advantageInspiring innovation with symbolic leadership actionsLow-cost experiments that signal serious intentManaging change without rushing major decisionsGenerative AI’s real impact on business schoolsAbout Julian:
Julian is a world-leading scholar and dynamic academic leader. Appointed Dean of Ivey Business School at Western University in August 2024, he brings a 25-year legacy at London Business School where he was Vice Dean, Deputy Dean Programmes and Deputy Dean Executive Education.
An internationally renowned authority on innovation, digital transformation, and the strategic agility of large firms, Birkinshaw has authored 16 books - including Resurgent, Fast/Forward, and Becoming a Better Boss.
He has won best paper awards in leading academic journals, and practice-oriented journals. His is a Fellow of the British Academy, Strategic Management Society, American Academy of Management, and Academy of International Business, and holds honorary doctorates from Copenhagen and Stockholm universities.
Profile: https://shorturl.at/yMlO9
Book: https://shorturl.at/AD7n2
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
-
What if the most powerful strategy you ever create isn’t for a business, but for your own life?
In this conversation, I turn the microphone on myself as strategist and author Niko Canner interviews me about how to bring strategic thinking into everyday choices.
We explore why busyness can be the enemy of purpose and how small, deliberate moves made moment by moment unlock greater agency and performance. I share how a personal family crisis forced me to reclaim control of my time, energy and focus, and how those lessons now shape the way I coach leaders and design my own days.
You’ll hear how to connect long-term aspirations with the micro-moments that define each day, creating a strategy that is both intentional and flexible. Niko and I also examine how individual strategic habits ripple out to transform teams and entire organisations.
Listen in if you’re ready to stop living on autopilot and start making wiser choices at work, at home and everywhere in between.
“All progress begins with dissonance.” — Niko Canner
You’ll hear about
· Strategy beyond the boardroom
· Daily choices that drive performance
· Coaching story of reclaiming the day
· Mindfulness, agency and coherent moves
· Setting life-long strategic aspirations
· Turning crisis into intentional living
· Five-chapter arc of strategic change
· Acting strategically in any moment
About Niko:
Niko founded Incandescent in 2013. He serves as a thought partner to leaders of large enterprises on strategy, organization and innovation; advising founders on the development of their ventures; and partnering with foundations and non-profits engaged in systems change.
Previously Niko co-founded the consulting firm Katzenbach Partners, Senior Partner at Booz & Company following the sale of Katzenbach to Booz in 2009 and a member of the Management Committee of Bridgewater Associates.
Niko chairs the boards of Skreens, a SaaS cloud-based visual engine that enables users to build personalized experiences on any display, and Catchafire, a platform for skills-based volunteering.
Resources:
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikocanner/
Business: https://www.incandescent.com/
Blog: https://www.onhumanenterprise.com/
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
-
What does it take to push yourself to the absolute limit and keep going for a cause bigger than yourself?
Imagine you’re cycling 3,000 miles in 12 days on no more than 2 hours sleep a day. You feel exhausted, with nothing left to give, but important decisions need to be made to achieve your goal.
This was the reality for my guest in this episode, Kurt Matzler, one of the world’s most cited strategy professors and an elite ultra-endurance cyclist who has completed the Race Across America, often described as the toughest race in the world.
We dive into how Kurt blends his expertise in strategy with the demands of ultra-cycling: from meticulous planning and team building to the mental resilience needed to ride for 22 hours a day across deserts and mountain ranges.
It’s a conversation that will inspire you to think bigger, plan smarter, and persist longer. And perhaps, to take on a challenge you once thought impossible.
“Be willing to do everything that is needed to achieve your big goal” – Kurt Matzler
You’ll hear about:
Race Across America: the world’s longest bike raceThe role of purpose in endurance challengesBalancing training with work and familyBuilding mental toughness before the raceThe power of delegating decisions to a teamLessons from setbacks and resilienceCreating a high-performance support crewWhy strategy means saying noTurning big goals into smaller milestonesThe impact Kurt wants to have on the worldAbout Kurt Matzler:
Kurt is professor of Strategic Management at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. According to Brightline Initiative he is one of the best strategic thinkers in the world. He is academic director of the Executive MBA program at MCI in Innsbruck and partner of IMP, an international consulting firm, the winner of the hidden champions in consulting in the field of disruption in Germany. Kurt is author of more than 300 academic papers and several books. He is co-author of the German edition of the Innovator’s dilemma, one of the six most important management books overall (Economist). He is author of The High Performance Mindset (2023, among the 10 best business books of 2023, Forbes), co-author of "Open Strategy" (MIT Press, 2021, according to the Strategy+Business Magazine the best strategy book of 2021) and "Digital Disruption" (2016).
With more than 35,000 citations in Google Scholar and an H-Index of 82, Kurt belongs to the top 20 strategy researchers in Europe and to the top 50 in the world. He is included in the John Ioannidis Stanford University’s database of the world’s top 2% of scientists in all disciplines. He is a passionate cyclist and a solo finisher of the Race Across America 2022 and 2025, Race Around Austria, Northcape4000 and Ultracycling World Champion 2024 (Master class). With his participation in RAAM, his Rotary team raised more than USD 4,500,000 to eradicate Polio.
Resources:
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-matzler-99206b7/
Book: https://shorturl.at/zPdnL
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
-
What happens when your boss is the problem?
A good boss can inspire you and be a catalyst for your career, whilst bad bosses limit your potential, putting the brakes on your trajectory.
In this conversation with Mita Mallick, author of The Devil Emails at Midnight, we explore the behaviours that make bosses bad, and the lessons we can take to become better leaders. Mita shares raw, funny and moving stories from her career, showing how toxic dynamics shape us, and how inclusion and vulnerability can transform workplaces.
We discuss why kindness is still seen as weakness, the warning signs that you might be slipping into bad boss territory, and how to handle life’s toughest moments, such as grief, while still leading with integrity.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re bringing out the best in your people, or if you’re stuck with a boss who doesn’t, this episode will give you the tools and courage to flip the script.
“Hurt people hurt people.” – Mita Mallick
You'll hear about:
· Personal stories of bad bosses
· Why kindness is seen as weakness
· Warning signs you’re a bad boss
· Nature versus nurture in leadership
· How grief affects leadership behaviour
· The myth of bossless organisations
· Coaching instead of micromanaging
· Options when stuck with a bad boss
About Mita Mallick:
Mita Mallick is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. She’s on a mission to fix what’s broken in our workplaces. She’s a corporate change maker with a track record of transforming businesses and has had an extensive career as a marketing and human resources executive.
Mallick is a highly sought-after speaker who has advised Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike. She is a LinkedIn Top Voice and was named to the Thinkers 50 Radar List. She’s a contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Adweek, and Entrepreneur. Mallick has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, Forbes, Axios, Essence, Cosmopolitan Magazine and Business Insider.
Resources:
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mita-mallick-2b165822/
Services: https://www.mitamallick.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Emails-Midnight-Leaders-Bosses/dp/1394316488/
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
-
Immigrant entrepreneurs have an outsized impact in business and society.
80% of billion dollar startups have founders or senior executives who are first or second generation immigrants. So, what can we learn from them?
In this episode I am joined by Neri Karra Sillaman, author of Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs. Neri’s research shows that immigrant entrepreneurs have a unique ability to reframe failure. Something she has done herself as a refugee turned entrepreneur.
Neri shares how constraints can be turned into an advantage for entrepreneurs as they look to blend their home and new cultures in the services and products they create.
She underscores the importance of quality, community, and a focus on impact rather than personal gain. Lessons many leaders could learn to improve their organisations.
“Immigrant entrepreneurs don’t hear “no” the way that you do” – Neri Karra Sillaman
You'll hear about:
• How immigrant entrepreneurs reframe failure as fuel for growth.
• The role of community in building resilience and drive.
• Why a clear, long-term vision sustains entrepreneurial momentum.
• Why integrity and quality matter more than rapid scale.
• The personal sacrifices behind building a meaningful business.
• How cross-cultural identity becomes a strategic advantage.
• The mindset shifts needed for true business longevity.
About Neri Karra Sillaman:
Neri Karra Sillaman is an author, advisor, and entrepreneur whose work focuses on business longevity, innovation, and impact. She is the author of Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs, recognized as one of Thinkers50’s Top 10 Best New Management Books in 2025. Neri was also named to the Thinkers50 Radar List as one of the 30 management thinkers shaping the future of work.
As the founder of her luxury leather goods brand, a company established more than 25 years ago, she combines entrepreneurial experience with research-driven insight. Neri is an Entrepreneurship Expert at the University of Oxford and holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge.
As a child refugee, she draws on her journey of resilience and adaptation to advise leaders on purpose, culture, and long-term success.
Resources:
Website: www.nerispeaks.com
Book: https://amzn.to/45T5p4C
Profile: https://tinyurl.com/34rf2rrx
Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/3dupup2m
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
-
Given the chance, how would you design an organisation from scratch?
I bet it wouldn't look close to what we see in many established organisations. You’d want more autonomy, greater transparency and less bureaucracy. Well, what if that were possible?
In this episode I am joined by Pim de Morree, Co-founder of Corporate Rebels, to explore self-managed organisations. Pim shares insights from his experience creating environments where employees thrive, and organisations excel, with not a manager in sight.
Pim's expertise offers a masterclass in rethinking traditional management and embracing a future where work is both meaningful and impactful for all involved.
So, are you ready to revolutionise how you lead and run your organisation?
“Decentralised decision-making fosters innovation and agility in modern workplaces” – Pim de Morree
You'll hear about:
● How self-managed organisations prioritise autonomy.
● The ways employees take ownership and lead without traditional hierarchical constraints.
● Why self-managed organisations see higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction.
● Full transparency and accountability are critical.
● How decision-making distributed across teams can foster innovation and agility.
● The cultural shifts required to transition to a self-managed organisation.
About Pim de Morree:
Pim de Morree, co-founder of Corporate Rebels and Krisos, embarked on an entrepreneurial journey after leaving a frustrating corporate job. His passion for reimagining the workplace drove him to travel worldwide, studying pioneering organisations. He shares his insights on the Corporate Rebels blog, in books, and through their global platform for self-managing organisations.
At Krisos, an impact fund, Pim and the team acquire traditional companies and transform them into forces for good. The award-winning firm is recognized for its innovative approach in combining self-management with alternative ownership structures, creating better jobs, more equality, and a systemic change in the role of business in society.
Resources:
• Profile: https://tinyurl.com/arv7c668
• Masterclass: https://tinyurl.com/2kbmk56n
• Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/47r3tenc
• Books: https://tinyurl.com/msfvwxtp
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
-
Are you a night owl or a morning lark?
For many of us the traditional working day just doesn’t suit our circadian rhythms. We’re called into a meeting or slumped over a desk at 8am but hyper focused as we’re about to leave the office and head home. What if work took our biological clocks into account?
In this episode I am joined by Camilla Kring, author of Chrono leadership. We talk about the costs of rigidity in work patterns, and what it takes to develop smarter, more flexible arrangements.
Camilla’s ideas are revolutionary; she talks about taking the bias away from the 5am club and creating better conditions in the workplace for all. Surely that is something we would all want to get behind.
So, when do you perform at your best during the day?
“Synchronise your work, family, and biological rhythms for real performance.” - Camilla
You'll hear about:
· How circadian rhythms dictate our natural sleep and wake cycles.
· Why understanding your chronotype can enhance productivity.
· The fact most people are not morning persons, yet workplaces favour early risers.
· How living out of sync with your internal clock can harm health.
· Flexibility in work hours can lead to higher productivity and well-being.
· Trust in employees being crucial for implementing flexible work schedules.
· Why synchronising work and family rhythms can improve life quality.
More about Camilla:
Camilla Kring, as the founder of Super Navigators, has dedicated the last 20 years to helping individuals navigate their lives and organisations create flexible and inclusive work cultures that accommodate different chronotypes and family structures. She has worked across Europe, China, Latin America and the Middle East with companies including Abbott, Medtronic, Roche and Novo Nordisk.
Camilla's insights have been featured in the New York Times, the BBC and the Guardian. She is the author of six books and a TEDx speaker. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering and a PhD in work-life balance from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
Resources:
• Profile: https://www.camillakring.com/about-camilla/
• Book - Chronoleadership: https://www.camillakring.com/books/
• Supernavigators services: https://www.supernavigators.com/
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)
-
So, picture this. You've just landed a new role at work, and you might have some transition time beforehand.
How do you best prepare to start?
In this episode, I am joined by Michael Watkins, author of The First 90 days and The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking. He provides insights into the intricacies of leadership transitions, emphasising the importance of understanding organisational culture, how to use strategic thinking, and look after yourself as you do.
We also explore the demands of operating in a world of ecosystems and AI. I bet you'll find a treasure trove of stimulus right here, including practical tips, frameworks and real-life examples to help you in your first 90 days and beyond.
“The best predictor of what people do in organisations is incentives” - Michael Watkins
You'll hear about:
· Transition periods being a crucial time to prepare and plan your approach.
· Why understanding the organisational culture is essential for effective leadership.
· How culture transformation can be initiated quickly, but reshaping values takes time.
· Strategic thinking being vital, especially in challenging situations.
· The fact leaders must balance tactical and strategic thinking during transitions.
· How creating early wins can help establish momentum in a new role.
· Why organisations must adapt to operate effectively within ecosystems.
About Michael Watkins:
Michael D Watkins is Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change at IMD. He is a globally recognized leadership transitions expert and author of the best-selling book The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter. A Thinkers50-ranked management influencer, Watkins has developed proven frameworks and tools to help professionals navigate personal and organizational change challenges.
He has spent the past two decades working with leaders as they transition to new roles, build their teams, and transform their organizations. In 2023, Watkins was inducted into the Thinkers50 Management Hall of Fame, which recognizes remarkable contributions to the realm of management concepts and ideas spanning many years.
• Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldwatkins/
• Publications: https://www.imd.org/faculty/professors/michael-watkins/
• Services: https://www.genesisadvisers.com/
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavN
-
What if the person who raised you was also the one who stole your sense of self?
Parents should nurture, protect and believe in you, not distort your reality, drain your self-esteem and leave wounds no one else can see.
In this episode I sit down with Kathleen Saxton, psychotherapist, entrepreneur and author of My Parent the Peacock. We go beyond the surface-level label of narcissism to uncover the full spectrum of behaviours, from the overtly grandiose to the quietly manipulative.
This is not a conversation about blame, but about liberation. It’s about recognising what’s been taken from you, understanding why trying to change the narcissist will never work, and learning how to reclaim your voice, your boundaries and your future.
If you’ve ever been made to doubt your own reality, whether by a parent, a partner or a leader, this episode could be the turning point.
“You absolutely can recover.” – Kathleen Saxton
You'll hear about:
• How narcissistic parenting shapes identity and self-worth.
• The long-term impact of emotional neglect and control.
• Why recovery starts with recognising patterns of manipulation.
• How to rebuild boundaries and personal agency.
• The role of therapy in healing from family trauma.
• Why self-compassion is critical in breaking the cycle.
• How to navigate relationships after narcissistic abuse.
• Practical steps to reclaim your voice and autonomy.About Kathleen Saxton:
Kathleen is a fully qualified and accredited psychotherapist, executive coach, author and advisor and a registered member of both the UKCP & BACP. Kathleen trained in Psychotherapy and Counselling at Regents University and continued a further 5 years of study in Integrative and Humanistic psychotherapy and supervision at the renowned CCPE in London.
Kathleen has practised at The Grove, The Priory, and for the British Performing Arts in Medicine organisations. In 2016, she co-founded her clinical practice called Psyched Ventures in London and NYC. Kathleen has written and published research and spoken on her unique blend of business, performance and mental health across the last 10 years. She is also a regular columnist for Stylist Magazine on the topic of leadership and psychology.
Profile: https://tinyurl.com/42aah3fy
Psychoeducation channel: https://tinyurl.com/bd8vxfzv
Services: https://psychedventures.com/
Book: https://tinyurl.com/ykzwsjah
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up for my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavN
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