Joining the show this week is a journalist turned executive leadership expert. Having interviewed over 1,000 CEOs over the course of his 30 year career, this guest is none other than the Senior Managing Director at The ExCo Group, Adam Bryant.

Bryant shares his insights from over 30 years of interviewing leaders and exploring the paradoxes of leadership. From his framework for authenticity to understanding the "optimal band of busyness," Adam discusses what motivates effective leaders to lead and how they navigate the ever-increasing complexity of today’s challenges.

Takeaways:

• Simplifying Complexity: Effective leaders excel at breaking down intricate problems into clear, digestible priorities for their teams. Bryant emphasizes the importance of framing challenges in a way that inspires clarity and action, ensuring everyone knows where they’re going and how to get there.
• The Authenticity Framework: Authenticity is about aligning how people perceive you with how you intend to show up as a leader. It’s not about oversharing emotions but about communicating your values and the stories behind them to build trust and credibility.
• Leadership Paradoxes: Bryant explores the delicate balancing acts leaders must navigate, such as being confident yet humble or compassionate while holding people accountable. He highlights the importance of contextual decision-making to manage these complexities effectively.
• OBOB (Optimal Band of Busyness): Leaders thrive when they find their "optimal band of busyness"—a balance that keeps them engaged without overwhelming or under-stimulating them. Bryant shares how this concept applies to both leadership and post-exit planning.
• Team Trust Building: Building trust within teams starts with vulnerability and open communication. Bryant describes exercises like leadership user manuals and storytelling to help team members see each other as human beings, fostering deeper connections and collaboration.
• Why Leaders Lead: Many leaders are driven by transformative early-life experiences, whether adversity, immigrant stories, or the influence of extraordinary parents. Bryant reflects on how these motivations shape leaders’ decisions and their approach to challenges.

Quote of the Show:

• “ I always think about leadership as a series of paradoxes or contradictions or balancing acts. It's never about one thing. And I think to be an effective leader, you have to be comfortable in those paradoxes.” - Adam Bryant

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adambryantleadership/
• Twitter: https://x.com/adambbryant
• Website: https://www.excoleadership.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261
• Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast

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