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The image of the banking industry has been severely tarnished by the financial crisis (2007-2008), which led to increasing regulatory and compliance demands. At the same time, the industry is experiencing emerging competition from FinTechs, evolving business models, and disruptive technologies. In light of these challenges, I recently spoke with Ralph Hamers, to explore his views on what effective leadership in the banking sector entails.
In our conversation, we touched on the following topics:
1 Why Ralph decided to join the banking industry
2 When and why did innovation become an important theme for him?
3 How 'traditional' banks should deal with Fintech companies
4 The culture change required in traditional banks
5 Addressing the image of the banking industry
6 The impact of technological developments on compliance costs
7 How to create successful top teams in the banking world
8 How to develop and foster a collective ethical mindset
9 Final thoughts
► About Ralph Hamers
Ralph Hamers advises both established and emerging players in the finance and digital industries. As former CEO of ING and UBS, he successfully led these global banks through significant transformations.Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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‘We want to help candidates to move from jobs they like, to jobs they love’ - Victor Akwunwa.
What is FoundWhy recruitment is ready for disruptionThe operating model of FoundThe Technology Found usesIdentifying the culture of the client The target markets of FoundThe long-term goals of FoundThe (dis)advantages of being a Swiss Based Start-Up Giving up a blossoming corporate career to join a start-up
The commoditization of human capital in recruitment processes leads to unsatisfactory outcomes for the companies and the candidates concerned. For companies, recruitment has become a volume game where KPI’s have replaced quality. For candidates because the unique value they can bring to organizations is not acknowledged in traditional recruitment processes.
I recently had a conversation with Victor Akwunwa, the Chief Sales Officer of Found, a Swiss start-up company that wants to disrupt this traditional approach. During our conversation, we discussed the following topics:
► About Found;
Found is a Swiss start-up that aims to change how hiring works. In their own words:
‘The hiring process can be bleak. Job boards prioritise volume over accuracy, leading to talent being overlooked amid overwhelming numbers of applications. Meanwhile, traditional recruiters cling to outdated practices, relying on subjective judgment, and charging exorbitant fees.
We believe it's time for change. We're dismantling outdated recruitment models using the power of data and technology. Our approach uses fast, data-driven AI matching and has employers pitch to talent, instead of talent having to apply.
The result? A revolution in recruitment with companies finding the perfect talent, and talent finding their perfect job.'
Website Found
► About Victor Akwunwa
Victor Akwunwa obtained a Master of Science Degree (with honors) at the Tilburg University in the Netherlands. In 2015 he joined the Adecco Group, a global staffing company, where he quickly rose through the ranks through a variety of sales, and other customer-facing roles. In 2023 he joined the start-up Found as Head of Sales, and subsequently was promoted to Chief Sales Officer (CSO).
LinkedIn Profile Victor Akwunwa
► Important keywords and concepts in this conversation:
Community-based hiring - Operating model - Driving value for talent - Matching accuracy - Talent Talent Segments - Start-up - Swiss start-up - Neuroscience - Overcommodization recruitment - Acceptance rate Neural networks - Building versus operating the machine - IFL -Culture Venture capital
► Blogposts about Recruitment by Dirk Verburg:
⇨ The Corporate Recruitment process is ready for disruption
⇨ Corporate Recruiters should stop spraying & prayingAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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There are some companies I deeply admire, and On, the Swiss sports and apparel brand is definitely one of them! Not only do they make amazing products and have an extremely powerful brand, they also have a unique company culture.
Alessandra's role at OnThe mission and values ('spirits') of OnHow the mission and values are kept aliveHow the impact of the mission and values is measuredAn example of a mission - value driven decision in OnEmbedding the culture - RecruitmentEmbedding the culture - Performance ManagementEmbedding the culture - Talent ManagementThe expectations of People Leaders in On
For this reason, I was thrilled to sit down with Alessandra del Pino, Head of Engagement & Talent Growth at On, to discuss the company culture of On, or, as Alessandra describes it, their 'secret sauce'.
During our conversation, we covered the following topics:About On
‘On was born in the Swiss Alps with one goal: to revolutionize the sensation of running by empowering all to run on clouds. Since its market launch in 2010, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel, and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor,
training, all-day activities and tennis. On is present in more than 60 countries globally and is believed to be one of the fastest-growing scaled athletic sports companies in the world’. The company employs more than 2.300 staff and generated net sales of CHF 1,792.1 in 2023 (source Annual report)
About Alessandra del Pino
Alessandra del Pino is Head of Engagement & Talent Growth at On. After studying Sociology in Venezuela, she started a journey in HR which would take her across the globe, working for completely different companies in different industries. Alessandra started her career in 2011 working for Groupon in Spain, before moving to Burger King. In 2015 she moved to Canada to for Restaurant Brands International, a company she also worked for both in Canada, as well as Switzerland. In 2019 she joined On, first as a Talent Business Partner, and later as Head of Engagement & Talent Growth.
Alessandra likes running (not surprising!), Spanish wines (same), good food, and traveling.
Important keywords and concepts in the conversation
Values as spirits - Spirit award - Rituals to express the company culture - Trust and Collaboration as key values - Wall-less office - No reception - Well being - Dealing with low performers - Team members instead of Staff or EmployeesAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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‘Everyone who wins nowadays is challenging the Shareholder Value Maximization doctrine’
This is just one of the powerful and thought-provoking statements Professor Michael Pirson (Fordham University - Gabelli School of Business) made when I interviewed him about 'Humanistic Management'.
In the last decades, the shortcomings of the neo-liberal economic order in our society have become clearer than ever (e.g. the credit crunch, climate change, and wars). An increasing number of people want to move away from a system that commoditizes human beings, and the natural environment in which they live. They seek, amongst others, dignity, a sense of purpose, and attention to well-being, instead of material prosperity only.
Humanistic Management is a relatively young academic movement that seeks to create a more balanced relationship between those things that can be exchanged on markets and those that are not but make life worthwhile.
Michael Pirson is an active member of this movement, and in this episode of the Leadership 2.0 podcast, I discuss with him
1️⃣ What Humanistic Management is
2️⃣ How Michael discovered Humanistic Management
3️⃣ What we as mankind can learn from the Covid 19 Pandemic
4️⃣ Measuring Wealth versus Wellbeing
5️⃣ Will Shareholder Value (Economistic Management) not always prevail?
6️⃣ Is Humanistic Management 'industry agnostic'?
7️⃣ Resources on Humanistic Management
8️⃣ Final Thoughts
About Michael Pirson
Michael Pirson, Ph.D., is the chair of the Leading People and Organizations Area within the Gabelli School of Business. He is the James A. F. Stoner Endowed Chair in Global Sustainability and is a full professor with a focus on global sustainability and social entrepreneurship. Michael is a research associate at Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Program (HFP). He co-founded the Humanistic Management Network and is founder and president of the International Humanistic Management Association. He is the editor in chief of the Humanistic Management Journal.
Additionally he is a full member of the Club of Rome, leads the Humanistic Management working group at the UNPRME, and advises a number of social enterprises. He has won numerous awards for his work including from the Academy of Management and the Association of Jesuit Universities.
Website
https://www.humanetwork.org/
Publications
https://www.fordham.edu/gabelli-school-of-business/faculty/full-time-faculty/michael-pirson/
Other resources
https://www.youtube.com/user/HumanisticManagementhttps://www.youtube.com/@UCLQhzwfw3QgAtLv_h5P9N3Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEGqEeiA5c0Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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'A transformational read that every leader of today needs'. These were the words Head Judge, Jacq Burns used when she announced that 'Leader As Healer', written by Nicholas Janni was selected as the overall winner for the 2023 Business Book Awards.
The book argues that, given the current challenges our society faces, we need a new leadership model. Our current leadership model is one where we see great leaders as warriors 'on the battlefield of relentless competition', who drive action, pursue instrumental goals (shareholder value), and maintain transactional relationships. Instead, Nicholas Janni pleads for leaders who are empathetic, intuitive, present, and skilled in mindfulness, deep listening, and who can inspire colleagues to engage and collaborate.
In this episode of the Leadership 2.0 podcast, I discuss with Nicholas
1️⃣ What does 'The Leader as Healer' mean?
2️⃣ What is the positive difference leaders as healers can make?
3️⃣ Why did 'The Leader as Healer' become business book of the year 2023?
4️⃣ Why our society and many organizations are 'broken'
5️⃣ Why leaders as healers occasionally need to use a scalpel
6️⃣ Why emotions are important and need to be taken seriously
7️⃣ How can leaders become healers?
8️⃣ Practical exercises for leaders
9️⃣ Final thoughts
About Nicholas Janni
Nicholas Janni has devoted his life to the study of human potential. Over the last 20 years he has gained an international reputation for his transformational coaching and leadership development seminars. He works with organisations, NGO’s and senior leaders worldwide and currently teaches at the IMD Business School in Switzerland and the University of Oxford Said Business School. He bridges the worlds of creative, personal, spiritual and professional development in a uniquely powerful, relevant and accessible way.
IIn his first career he was a theatre director. He taught acting at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and directed his own theatre company. He has spent over 30 years researching the theory and the practice of ‘the zone’ of peak performance in art, life and work, and has studied and practiced multiple mind/body disciplines. He trained intensively for five years with Thomas Hubl, studying how to work with personal, intergenerational and collective trauma, and has led ongoing groups in the US, UK and Israel.
Matrix Development
In January 2023 he launched a new platform, and became co-founder and Programme Director of MATRIX DEVELOPMENT http://www.thematrixdevelopment.com
Website
https://www.nicholasjanni.com/
Book
https://www.nicholasjanni.com/book-leader-as-healer/Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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Twenty years ago, in 2004, Shell was hit by the reserves scandal. In the midst of this crisis, the board asked Jeroen van der Veer to become CEO and navigate the company out of this crisis.
Recently Jeroen wrote a book titled 'Van A naar B - Lessen in leiderschap' ('From A to B - Lessons in Leadership'), in which he reflects on these, and other experiences during his long career (which also included for instance being the chairman of the supervisory board of ING during the financial crisis).
In this episode of the Leadership 2.0 podcast, I discuss with Jeroen
1️⃣ How his leadership style evolved in the 40 + years of his career in Shell
2️⃣ Which authors in the area of management and leadership inspired him
3️⃣ Why the board asked him to become CEO to navigate Shell out of this crisis.
4️⃣ How he personally experienced his appointment
5️⃣ How he established his plan to move Shell out of this crisis
6️⃣ His top team in Shell during his five years as CEO
7️⃣ Decision he regrets
8️⃣ The three leadership lessons in his book 'From A to B - Lessons in Leadership'
9️⃣ The different world graduates face nowadays
🔟 Final thoughts
About Jeroen van der Veer
Jeroen studied mechanical engineering and economics. He worked for Shell from 1971 to 2009, the last 5 years as CEO. He also took on a number of supervisory board positions, e.g. in ING, Unilever, Boskalis, Equinor, Philips and the Dutch Central Bank. Other key and high-profile activities included Chairmanships for the World Economic Forum and Co-chair with Madeleine Albright for the new NATO Strategic Concept.
Jeroen's boek 'Van A naar B': Lessen in LeiderschapAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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With the publication of his bestseller 'HR Champions' in 1997, Dave Ulrich signaled the potential for HR functions to develop themselves from administrative functions into mission-critical ones for the business (my words—not Dave's!).
Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan and a partner at the RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value.
During our conversation, Dave and I discussed the following topics:
0️⃣1️⃣ Dave's drive to write 'Human Resource Champions'
0️⃣2️⃣ The consequences of the lack of self-confidence exhibited by many HR organizations
0️⃣3️⃣ 'HR is not your friend'. Really?
0️⃣4️⃣ If the current data-centricity in HR functions does not lead to the detriment of intuition and human judgment
0️⃣5️⃣ What the HR agenda should look like in 2024
0️⃣6️⃣ Where the ultimate accountability and responsibility for staff in organizations restAbout Dave Ulrich
RBL GroupWeekly newsletter LinkedIn
Dave Ulrich published over 200 articles and book chapters and over 30 books. He edited Human Resource Management1990-1999, served on editorial board of 4 other journals and on the Board of Directors for Herman Miller (16 years), has spoken to large audiences in 90 countries; performed workshops for over half of the Fortune 200; coached successful business leaders, and is a Distinguished Fellow in the National Academy of Human Resources.
He is known for continually learning, turning complex ideas into simple solutions, and creating real value to those he works with as he defines human capability as the next agenda for people and organization. He posts weekly and comments daily on LinkedIn.
Organization - With co-authors, he has influenced thinking about modern
organizations (Reinventing the Organization) by empirically showing how organization delivers 4 times business results over talent (Victory Through Organization), defined organizations as bundles of capabilities (Organization Capability) and worked to delineate capabilities of talent management (Why of Work; Talent Accelerator), culture change (GE Workout), learning (Learning Organization Capability), and collaboration (Boundaryless Organization).
Leadership - With colleagues, he has also articulated the basics of effective leadership (Leadership Code and Results Based Leadership), connected leadership with customers (Leadership Brand), shown how leadership delivers market value (Why the Bottom Line Isn’t), shapes investor expectations with an ability to measure leadership (Leadership
Capital Index), and synthesized ways to ensure that leadership aspirations turn into actions (Leadership Sustainability).
Human Resources - He and his colleagues have shaped the HR profession and he has been called the “father of modern HR” and “HR thought leader of the decade” by focusing on HR outcomes, governance, competencies, and practices (HR Champions; HR Value Added; HR Transformation; HR Competencies; HR Outside In). He spearheaded a “gift” book on the future of HR (The Rise of HR) distributed to over 1,500,000 HR professionals), in which 70 thought leaders freely shared their insights.
He posts articles (over 200) and newsletter on Linkedin weekly.
ResourcesAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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'I defy anybody to be energized by most appraisal systems I have seen in my career' - Sally Bibb
Most HR professionals and line managers (present company included!) are used to focusing on the 'development areas' of their staff. The idea is to take the areas of strength for granted and to actively work on their weaknesses to foster their professional development.
The question is, however, how effective this is, and which business opportunities we miss, by not building on the strengths of our staff.
During our conversation, Sally and I discussed the following topics:
0️⃣1️⃣ What Strength Management actually is
0️⃣2️⃣ How Sally became interested in the topic
0️⃣3️⃣ Is Strength Management incompatible with a Growth Mindset?
0️⃣4️⃣ Why most HR professionals remain focused on Development Areas
0️⃣5️⃣ Implementing Strength Management in HR Processes
0️⃣6️⃣ How can appraisals be improved?
0️⃣7️⃣ Is strength management a generational phenomenon?
0️⃣8️⃣ Will AI support Strength Management?
0️⃣9️⃣ Issues Sally is asked to address by her clients
1️⃣0️⃣ Final thoughts on strength management
Sally Bibb is a partner at PA Consulting, leader and author in the field of strengths-based approaches to people and organisations.
She started her career working for BT International and then moved into an international role at The Economist Group before founding the strengths consultancy Engaging Minds in 2012. In 2021, she joined PA Consulting as a partner to advance her vision of bringing strengths to many more employers worldwide.
In this role, she leads strengths-based organizational change work in Europe, the USA, and Asia, and has built a track record of achieving transformational results for a number of high-profile clients in both the private, as well as in the public sector.
Sally has an MSc in organizational change from the University of Surrey and has (co-)authored eight books. A full list can be found in the resource section!
She is a fellow of the RSA (Royal Society of Arts) and a member of the steering committee of The Daedalus Trust, a charity founded by Lord David Owen to promote research into hubris syndrome in business.
Resources:
- Website Sally Bibb: https://sallybibb.com/
- Books by Sally Bibb:
The Right Thing: An Everyday Guide to Ethics in Business
Generation Y for Rookies
A Question of Trust: The Crucial Nature of Trust in Business, Work & Life – and How to Build It (with Jeremy Kourdi)
The Stone Age Company: Why Companies Fail
Management f-Laws: How Organization really work (with Russell Ackoff and Herbert Addison)
Strengths-Based Recruitment and Development: A Practical Guide to Transforming Talent Management Strategy for Business Results
The Strengths Book: Discover How to Be Fulfilled in Your Work and in Life
The Strengths Workbook: An Eight-Week Programme to Discover Your Strengths and What Makes You Thrive
(https://sallybibb.com/my-books/)Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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The statistics are sobering, not only do 49% of external executive hires end in failure within 18 months, but internal moves prove to be challenging as well. For instance, 40% of internal job moves involving high potentials also end in failure. Besides the fact that these failures often have a traumatic impact for the individuals involved, the costs for the organizations are huge. Not only in terms of imago and hiring costs but, more importantly, in terms of opportunity costs.
Books by Michael Watkins: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael-Watkins/author/B001JS6RV8?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=trueMichael Watkins - IMD: https://www.imd.org/faculty/professors/michael-watkins/Genesis Advisors: https://www.genesisadvisers.com/
To find out why leadership transitions prove to be so hard, and what companies and individuals can do about it, I interviewed Michael Watkins for my Leadership 2.0 podcast.
Michael D Watkins is Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change. He is a globally recognized leadership transitions expert and author of several best-selling books, including ‘The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter’. Additionally, he is co-founder of Genesis Advisors, a company whose mission it is to accelerate leaders to to reach their full potential, energise teams to achieve peak performance, and transform organizations to outperform the competition
During our conversation, Michael and I discussed the following topics:
0️⃣1️⃣ Where Michael’s interest in (leadership) transitions stems from
0️⃣2️⃣ The importance of accelerating leadership transitions (ROI)
0️⃣3️⃣ Why many companies do not pay enough attention to leadership transitions
0️⃣4️⃣ Why do internal moves so often fail
0️⃣5️⃣ Homework for leaders who are about to make an internal move
0️⃣6️⃣ Why companies (too) often hire external talent
0️⃣7️⃣ Homework for leaders contemplating to make an external move
0️⃣8️⃣ External hires asked to drive change - but not to upset the system
0️⃣9️⃣ How can companies protect their investments in leadership transitions?
1️⃣0️⃣ Why did Michael founded Genesis Advisers and what does it do?
Resources:Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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‘We live in a world of organizations - and we do not understand them’
The importance for organizations to get their structure ‘right’How Henry’s thinking about organizations has evolved in the last 40 years, and what some of the changes and updates he made in this book as a resultHenry’s statement that ‘Every (organization) form contains the seeds of its own destruction.’ ‘Emergent structures’ as an alternative to large scale organization restructuring initiativesThe fit between the personality of a leader and the structure of the organizationThe link between the structures of Apple and Tesla, and the personalities of Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. What, if anything, could ‘established’ organizations learn from this?The complimentary role of conflict and culture in organizationsThe relationship between structure and culture in organizationsWhere the gap between the formulators and implementers of corporate strategies stems from, and how this can be closedThe interest in structuring organizations in the academic and the business world
This is one of the statements Henry Mintzberg, one of the leading thinkers in the field of Management, made when I interviewed him for my Leadership 2.0 Podcast about his latest book ‘Understanding Organizations…Finally'.
During our conversation, we discussed the following topics:
About Henry Mintzberg
Henry Mintzberg is the Cleghorn professor of management studies at the Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University in Montreal. He was visiting professor at INSEAD, Carnegie-Mellon University, and the London Business School. He has been engaged as a consultant to a number of organizations, and was president of the Strategic Management Society from 1988 to 1991.
He is the author of 21 books, including ‘The Nature of Managerial Work’, ‘Managers not MBAs’, ‘Simply Managing’, ‘Rebalancing Society, Managing the Myths of Health Care’, and ‘Understanding Organizations...Finally!’ (2023). He also wrote 184 articles, numerous commentaries and produced videos.
He publishes a regular TWOG (TWeet 2 blOG), on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Finally Henry co-founded, and remains active, in the International Masters Program for Managers and the International Masters for Health Leadership, as well as the venture CoachingOurselves.com.
Resources
Website Henry Mintzberg: https://mintzberg.org/
Twitter Account Henry Mintzberg: @mintzberg141
International Masters Program for Managers: impm.org
International Masters for Health Leadership: mcgill.ca/imhlAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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In this episode, I am interviewing Professor Eugene Sadler-Smith of the Surrey Business School about the role of intuition in decision-making processes.
During our conversation, we discussed the following topics:
1 What intuition is and what it is not
2 The two types of intuition
3 Adopting an Ambidextrous Mindset
4 How to take important decisions in business
5 Carl Jung and Intuition
6 Why the intuitive mind is a slow learner
7 Values and ethics in decision-making processes
8 Final Thoughts - AI and intuition
Eugene Sadler Smith is a Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the Surrey Business School. His research interests include hubris (in leadership, business, and politics) and intuition (in decision-making and creativity).
He published over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals, and his research has featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, Sky TV, The Insight Channel, The Times, The Guardian, and others.
Eugene worked on research and executive education projects with, amongst others, Tesco, Mind Gym, ICSA, CIPD, Met Police, Surrey Police, Welsh Government, Forbes, Home Office and the Scottish Government.
He has written a number of books: Learning and Development for Managers (Blackwell, 2006); Inside Intuition (Routledge, 2008); The Intuitive Mind (John Wiley and Sons, 2010, translated into Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Russian); Hubristic Leadership (with a Foreword by Lord David Owen, SAGE, 2018); Human Resource Development: From Theory into Practice (SAGE, 2022), and ‘Intuition in Business’ (Oxford University Press in 2023).
In the next coming months two new books by his hand will be published ‘The Hubris Hazard, and how to avoid it’ (Routledge), and ‘Trust your gut: Go with your intuition and make better choices’ (Pearson Academic).
The E-Mail address of Eugene Sadler-Smith is: [email protected]
His website dedicated to the topic of Hubris is: www.thehubrishub.comAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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Scenario thinking enables organizations to establish possible visions of the future in the form of scenarios. This enables decision-makers to think through the different ways in which the environment of their institutions could evolve in the future, based on different sets of assumptions.
One of the companies that is best known for its scenario-thinking activity is Shell. For decades, Shell’s scenarios have supported the decision-making of Shell leaders, academics, governments, and businesses.
Jeremy Bentham led this activity in Shell between 2006 and his retirement in 2022 as Shell Scenarios & strategy Leader and VP Global Business Environment.
In this episode of the Leadership 2.0 podcast, I am interviewing Jeremy Bentham about scenario thinking and leadership.
During our conversation, we discussed the following topics:
1 What scenario thinking is and what is it not
2 Why organizations should invest in scenario thinking
3 The development of scenario thinking in the past decades
4 The reason for Shell to start sharing (parts of) its scenarios with external stakeholders
5 The importance of engagement
6 Why and how scenario thinking could lead to wiser decisions
7 Strategic character
8 The possible role of scenario thinking in addressing crises our society faces
9 The Dodo club (recently established by Jeremy)
10 Final thoughts on the topic of scenario thinking
About Jeremy BenthamJeremy Bentham has a Degree in Physics from the University of Oxford and a Master's Degree in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
From 1980 - 2022 he worked for Shell in various roles and functions, including as Chief Executive for Shell Hydrogen, and later as Shell Scenarios & strategy Leader and VP Global Business Environment, in charge of developing forward-looking scenarios to support strategic thinking and direction-setting.
Currently, Jeremy is Co-Chair (scenarios) & Senior Advisor for the World Energy Council, as well as being involved in several other organizations in the climate and sustainable development space, including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Illuminem, Pathfinder International, and the Mission Possible Partnership.Additionally, he is a Senior Advisor for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
His interests include theater production, cinema, and art history.
The Dodo ClubRecently, Jeremy started a regular newsletter and vehicle for discussion and community building called 'the Dodo club. The purpose of this club is to help people and organizations make wiser decisions in the face of the radical uncertainties they are facing, including when grappling with issues of decarbonisation and energy transitions.
You can find this club, and sign up for the Newsletter at [https://thedodoclub.beehiiv.com/]
The E-Mail address of Jeremy Bentham is: [email protected]
Additional resources:
Jeremy Bentham: Decarbonisation Scenarios (youtube.com)Jeremy Bentham: The energy transition (post Illuminem)
40 Years of Shell ScenariosAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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In this episode, I am interviewing Vlad Gheorghiu about mental health in the workplace, a highly relevant topic.
Why?
The World Health Organization estimates that 12 billion working days are lost every year due to depression and anxiety. This costs $1 trillion in lost productivity.
McKinsey research showed that ‘60 % of employees have experienced at least one mental-health challenge at some point in their lives’. According to the same study ‘Failing to address the effects of mental health and well-being challenges is a missed opportunity for employers’.
Employees dealing with mental health issues are 4x more likely to say they intend to leave, 3x more likely to report low job satisfaction, 3x more likely to experience toxic workplace behavior, and 2x more likely to report low engagement.
At the same time, classic Employee Assistance Programs do not seem to work…
Vlad Gheorghiu experienced mental health issues firsthand, whilst working for McKinsey.
This experience inspired him to design solutions. First for McKinsey, and later by co-finding a start-up company called Kyan Health.
Vlad's backgroundVlad's engagement with mental healthThe gap in the workplace between the mental health support employees need and receiveThe concept of Kyan HealthMeasuring impactCreating a start-up company: Three DosCreating a start-up company: Three Dont'sVlad's role models as an entrepreneur
In our conversation, we covered the following topicsFinally, we also talk about his personal experiences as an entrepreneur and co-founder of a start-up.
Vlad’s email address is: [email protected]Website KyanHealth: www.kyanhealth.com
Links to relevant (McKinsey) reports:
https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/present-company-included-prioritizing-mental-health-and-well-being-for-all
https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/people%20and%20organizational%20performance/our%20insights/the%20state%20of%20organizations%202023/the-state-of-organizations-2023.pdfAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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In this episode, I am interviewing Eugene Sadler-Smith about hubristic leadership. A highly relevant topic in the light of the corporate scandals we faced in the last two decades, as well as the current geo-political tensions we are seeing around us.
None of these would have happened without hubristic leaders.
During our conversation, Eugene and I discussed the following topics:
03:00 The meaning of hubris
05:05 Examples of hubristic leaders in politics and business
11:00 The origins of hubris: nature and/or nurture?
14:57 Do we co-create hubristic leaders?
20:26 Recognizing hubristic leaders by the language they use
27.57 How can teams become hubristic
33:06 Eugene's new book: 'The Hubris Hazard'
38:08 The role of HR and Leadership Development professionals
40:03 Does hubris also have a bright side?
Eugene Sadler Smith is a Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the Surrey Business School. His research interests include hubris (in leadership, business, and politics) and intuition (in decision-making and creativity).
He published over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals, and his research has featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, Sky TV, The Insight Channel, The Times, The Guardian, and others.
Eugene worked on research and executive education projects with, amongst others, Tesco, Mind Gym, ICSA, CIPD, Met Police, Surrey Police, Welsh Government, Forbes, Home Office and the Scottish Government.
He has written a number of books: Learning and Development for Managers (Blackwell, 2006); Inside Intuition (Routledge, 2008); The Intuitive Mind (John Wiley and Sons, 2010, translated into Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Russian); Hubristic Leadership (with a Foreword by Lord David Owen, SAGE, 2018); Human Resource Development: From Theory into Practice (SAGE, 2022), and ‘Intuition in Business’ (Oxford University Press in 2023).
In the next coming months two new books by his hand will be published ‘The Hubris Hazard, and how to avoid it’ (Routledge), and ‘Trust your gut: Go with your intuition and make better choices’ (Pearson Academic).
The E-Mail address of Eugene Sadler-Smith is: [email protected]
His website dedicated to the topic of Hubris is: www.thehubrishub.comAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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Everyone is an expert in leadership development, or at least has an option about it!
For this reason, I decided to interview Professor Ayse Yemiscigil.
Ayse Yemiscigil, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and a Research Affiliate with the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University.
In February 2023, she, Dana Born, and Horace Ling, published an article for HBR.org of the Harvard Business Review titled: 'What Makes Leadership Development Programs Succeed?'
In their article, they argue that global organizations spend, on an annual basis, more than $60 billion on leadership development programs, but that it is hard to establish the ROI of these programs.
During my conversation with Ayse we discussed the following topics:
1 Why most investments in Leadership Development programs fail
2 The format of Leadership Development programs
3 The content of Leadership Development programs
4 The ‘whole person’ approach
5 Whether knowledge building on business topics should be included in Leadership Development programs
6 The long-term impact (or not) of Leadership Development Programs
7 How to measure the impact of Leadership Development programs
8 Stimulating the self-reflection of (potential) leaders
About Ayse Yemiscigil:
Ayse Yemiscigil, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and a Research Affiliate with the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University. She received her Ph.D. from Warwick Business School and has been a postdoctoral research fellow at The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University and Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership.
Professor Yemiscigil’s research brings a humanistic lens to leadership development and management. Using an interdisciplinary approach, she studies how leaders cultivate humanistic ideals such as flourishing and well-being, meaning, purpose, and authenticity in themselves, organizations, and the broader society.
Drawing from her interdisciplinary background in behavioral science, economics, and management, Professor Yemiscigil’s research focuses specifically on the social-economic barriers and support factors that are contextual and modifiable which may impact the humanistic development of leaders and organizational communities. She applies advanced quantitative methods to large-scale, longitudinal data and conducts natural field experiments in multi-country settings and organizations.
Her research has been published in leading academic journals, including Psychological Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Harvard Business Review, and featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal among other media outlets.
Professor Yemiscigil teaches humanistic management and leadership development and has been recognized for distinguished teaching performance by the Harvard Division of Continuing Education. She is a research consultant to multiple organizations including the Core Leadership Institute and Heart Mind Design.
She holds a master’s degree in behavioral and economic sciences from Warwick University, UK, and a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration from Koc University, Turkey.
The E-Mail address of Professor Yemiscigil is : [email protected]
The article ‘What Makes Leadership Development Programs Succeed?’
by Ayse Yemiscigil, Dana Born, and Horace Ling’ can be found here: https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-makes-leadership-development-programs-succeedAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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Current thinking in Psychology is that there are five dimensions we can use to describe the most important personality dimensions. Dr. Ralph Piedmont discovered the 6th one: 'the Numinous'.
The five-factor model of personality (FFM) is a set of five broad trait dimensions or domains, often referred to as the “Big Five”: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism (sometimes named by its polar opposite, Emotional Stability), and Openness to Experience (sometimes named Intellect).
The Big Five/FFM was developed to represent as much of the variability in individuals’ personalities as possible, using only a small set of trait dimensions.
Many personality psychologists agree that its five domains capture the most important, basic individual differences in personality traits and that many alternative trait models can be conceptualized in terms of the Big Five/FFM structure (www.oxfordbibliographies.com).
Dr. Ralph Piedmont discovered the 6th factor: the Numinous. According to Ralph Piedmont 'the numinous deals with our ultimate existential engagements with life. The Numinous has three central concerns: issues about mortality; meaning in life, and personal worthiness.'
(https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364950266_An_Introduction_to_the_Numinous_1_An_Introduction_to_the_Sixth_Major_Dimension_of_Personality_The_Numinous)
During our conversation, we discussed the following topics:
(1) 01:58 - The origins of the Five-Factor personality model
(2) 08:08 - The Five-Factor personality model versus adopting a growth mindset
(3) 15: 26 - Dark Triads
(4) 17:12 - What is the Numinous?
(5) 25:00 - The relevance of the Numinous for agnostics and atheists
(6) 26:19 - Practical implications of the Numinous
(7) 33:00 - Applications of the Numinous in the world of business
(8) 41:37 - Leadership development and the Numinous
(9) 50:50 - Dysfunctional leadership behavior and the Numinous
(10) 57:50 From the "Big 5" to the "Big 6"? The future of the Numinous
Dr. Piedmont received his Ph.D. in Personality Psychology from Boston University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute on Aging, where he was trained in taxonomic models of personality and their relevance for understanding mental and physical outcomes.
Dr. Piedmont was a full professor in the Department of Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University Maryland and is now the Managing Director of the Center for Professional Studies.
His current research interests focus on the measurement of Spiritual Transcendence, a construct that represents a broad, nondenominational, motivational measure of spirituality. He has demonstrated the predictive value of this construct in both normal and clinical contexts, using both American and cross-cultural samples.
Dr. Piedmont is extensively published in the scientific literature and is on the editorial boards for Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, Assessment, and Journal of Personality Assessment.
He was the founding editor of the new APA journal, Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA). He is also very much involved in Division 36, the Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality for the APA and ACA’s Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling.
E-mail dr. Ralph Piedmont: [email protected]
Website: https://centerforprofessionalstudies.com/
Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bJTbCUIAAAAJ&hl=enAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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'The real problem of humanity is the following: we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology'.
With this quote from Edward O. Wilson, Matt Nixon answered my question if our requirements about leadership have changed in the last decades.Matt Nixon has more than 30 years of experience as a management consultant and HR executive, working with CEOs and senior leaders around the world. An Oxford classics graduate, he was a partner in Towers Perrin in Chicago and London, and subsequently held the positions of Global Head of Organization Effectiveness for Royal Dutch Shell, and Managing Director, Group Head of Talent for Barclays, before returning to the consulting industry.
Nowadays Matt works as a partner in a specialized consulting boutique where he coaches and advises CEOs and other senior leaders during career transitions and other periods of change and transition.
Matt has written and taught extensively on hubris in executives.
During our conversation, Matt and I discussed the following topics:
Have the demands on senior leaders changed in the past couple of decades?How can senior leaders stay relevant and deal with the changing nature of their roles? What makes a successful executive an effective supervisory board member? The reputational life-cycle Matt describes in his book 'Pariahs – Hubris, Reputation and Organizational Crises' How top leaders could prevent their organization from landing in the Hubris stateShould leaders who find themselves in the middle of a corporate scandal stay or go?Should companies take a stand on political issues (e.g. Human rights, Immigration, Ukraine)Should coaches proactively force issues on their senior clients?Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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In this episode of the Leadership 2.0 podcast, I am interviewing Arend Ardon about how leaders can create deep, and sustainable behavioral change in their organizations.
Arend Ardon (1967) is a management consultant and co-founder and co-owner of the Change Studio, a consultancy firm specializing in change management.
He is a leading thinker in this area and has published dozens of articles and books.
During our conversation, I asked Arend questions about the following topics:
- Why Arend decided to become a management consultant
- To what he contributes his success in implementing changes in large organizations, despite never having worked as a leader in such an environment
- His fascination for change and change management
- Why we, in the context of change, need to adapt a different paradigm than thinking in terms of initiating leaders on the one hand, and reactive and dependent employees on the other.
- Why leaders and experts should reflect on their own role in change processes
- Why and how leaders should release control if they want to make things happen
- ‘Creating a sense of belonging’ versus 'Burning platforms' to drive change management
- What the undertow in organizations is, and why leaders should pay attention to this
- Why Arend decided to pursue a PhD study
- Arend's drive for writing
- Why Arend decided to establish his own consulting firm (The Change Studio)
- The type of clients that are attracted by the Change Studio
- The profile of the consultants that work for the change studio
- Why Arend Still makes the time available to lecture at universities
Information about Arend's work:
Arends' book Doorbreek de cirkel! has meanwhile sold more than 30,000 copies and was recently also published in English (Break the Cycle!). Other books include Ontketen vernieuwing! (which translates as ‘Unleash innovation’) and, more recently, with Cynthia van der Zwan, ‘Wat speelt hier? Laat de onderstroom spreken (which translates as: ‘What is going on here? Listen to the undertow’). All books have become best-sellers in the Netherlands.
In partnership with GoodHabitz, Arend developed the online Change & Innovation course, especially for use on smartphones and tablets. The course offers lots of video content, interactive tests, and a vast library of further reading (http://bit.ly/2qLlDr0).
Relevant contact details and links:
Arend can be reached at: [email protected]
The website of the Change Studio: https://www.thechangestudio.nl/?lang=en
Arend's PhD Thesis "Moving moments" can be downloaded here: https://research.vu.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/42174484/complete+dissertation.pdfAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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In this episode, I am interviewing Saskia Schepers about unleashing the power of neurodiversity in the workplace.
Saskia Schepers studied organizational science and works as a creative brain, consultant, project manager, speaker, trainer, and coach.
She recently wrote a book titled ‘Als alle breinen werken - Waarom ruimte voor neurodiversiteit op het werk goed is voor idereen'. In English: ‘If all brains are switched on - Why space for neurodiversity in the workplace benefits everyone’.
The book almost immediately reached the number 1 position in the Dutch bestseller list of management books, was quickly sold out, and is now in its third printed edition.
An English translation is in the making and will be published in 2024.During our interview, we discussed, amongst others, the following topics:
- What neurodiversity is
- Why neurodiversity is a leadership issue
- Why leaders find it hard to deal with neurodiversity
- Recommendations for leaders struggling with neurodiverse people in their teams
- How to start a conversation about neurodiversity as a leader
- Accepting Neurodiversity versus adopting a ‘growth mindset’
- Why working in teams can pose challenges for neurodiverse people and how leaders can accommodate this
- To stimulate innovation, more and more businesses start to ‘encourage’ staff to return to the office. Is this necessary, and which special challenges does this pose for neurodiverse people
- The special challenges working in an agile manner can pose for neurodiverse people
- The application of ‘strength-based management’ beyond neurodiversity in organizations
- The role Saskia's neurodiverse profile played in the way she wrote this book ('The creative process')
Link tot the website of Saskia Schepers: https://saskiaschepers.com/
Link to the book of Saskia Schepers: https://www.atlascontact.nl/boek/als-alle-breinen-werken/Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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John Hollwitz is a University Professor of psychology and rhetoric. Before coming to Fordham, he was the A.F. Jacobson Professor of Communications at Creighton University and dean of arts and sciences at Loyola College in Maryland. He also has been the vice president of academic affairs at Fordham.
Professor Hollwitz's teaching interests include management; experimental/quasi-experimental design; statistics; item response theory; structural equation modeling; team-building, especially in high-pressure teams; life-span career development; religion, and work. His avocations include martial arts, especially classical Tai Chi sword; jazz and blues music.
He is currently working on a book about blues music, and we also discussed this at the end of this interview.
Our interview was focused on the why and how of corporate ethics.During this interview, we discussed the following topics:
- John's research into structured ethical integrity interview techniques
- The relationship between ethics and capitalism
- Engraining ethics in the mindset of business leaders
- The relationship between ethics and a sense of purpose
- The consequences of a lack of purpose for organizations and their employees
- How organizations can create a sense of purpose for their employees
- John's love for blues music, and a book he is preparing about this topic
- The soul of organizations
John can be reached on [email protected]Any questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
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