Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

For decades, organizations have been built around the idea of the heroic CEO—the singular visionary, chief decision-maker, and ultimate problem solver. But in 2026, that model is breaking down.

In today’s environment of complexity, speed, AI acceleration, and constant disruption, leadership can no longer sit at the top of a single individual. The hero CEO doesn’t scale. It concentrates risk, slows decision-making, and quietly undermines trust and accountability across the organization.

If you’re a senior leader, board member, or executive coach navigating the realities of leadership in 2026, this conversation challenges some of the most deeply held assumptions about power, control, and what it truly means to lead.

Join Rich and Maikel on this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT as we explore why the era of the hero CEO is ending—and why collective leadership is emerging as the only sustainable model for high-performing organizations. We unpack what collective leadership really means (and what it doesn’t), the hidden costs of over-centralized leadership, and the inner shifts CEOs must make to move from being “the answer” to becoming the architect of leadership systems.

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

As we close out 2025, one thing is clear: leaders and teams can’t simply optimize their way into the future — they must renew. In a world shaped by rapid AI advancement, hybrid work, and ongoing uncertainty, renewal is no longer a soft idea. It’s a strategic reset.

This episode explores what renewal of leadership and teams truly means as we move into 2026. Renewal isn’t about adding more — it’s about releasing what no longer serves us: outdated behaviors, rigid structures, and fear-based cultures — and amplifying what does: trust, empathy, agility, and human connection.

For leaders, renewal means shifting from reactive problem-solvers to proactive navigators. It requires pairing human judgment with AI fluency, leading with greater self-awareness, and building cultures grounded in psychological safety and truth-telling. Less hierarchy and control — more clarity, courage, and ethical decision-making.

For teams, renewal shows up as energy, ownership, and adaptability. The highest-performing teams in 2026 are psychologically safe, hybrid by design, skills-focused, and deeply accountable. They break down silos, learn through experimentation, and grow through coaching, mentoring, and real-time feedback.

We also outline a practical roadmap for renewal:

• Reflect and release what’s holding leaders and teams back
• Set antifragile goals that align growth with purpose
• Invest in development through coaching, mentorship, and AI-enabled learning
• Foster collaboration through flatter structures and shared ownership
• Measure, adapt, and celebrate progress to sustain momentum

Ultimately, renewal isn’t a one-time initiative — it’s a continuous cycle. Organizations that commit to it build stronger cultures, make better decisions, and achieve more sustainable performance.

Join Rich and Maikel on this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT, as we challenge leaders to rethink renewal — not by adding more, but by letting go of what no longer serves their teams.

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

In Part One, we exposed the myth that performance automatically equals potential. This follow-up episode digs deeper into the real differentiators—what actually signals high potential, why these traits predict executive success, and how leaders can intentionally build the inner architecture required to lead at the highest level.

In this segment, we are joined by Patrick Duriaux. Patrick is a global CHRO and seasoned HR leader with over 20 years of experience driving cultural transformation, leadership development, and performance improvement in international organizations. A certified Intelligent Leadership Master Coach trained by John Mattone, he brings a decade of coaching expertise focused on emotional intelligence, human connection, and purposeful growth.

He is also the founder of ALTO.cool, a platform designed to reduce loneliness by fostering meaningful intergenerational connections. Patrick additionally supports academic research and mentors emerging HR leaders.

Patrick joins Rich and Maikel on Mainline Executive Coaching ACT, as we go deeper into the traits, the mindset, and the inner architecture that allow a leader to operate at the executive level. Because world-class executives aren’t built on performance alone. They’re built on character, courage, self-awareness, and the maturity to lead through complexity.”

Patrick"s Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickduriaux/

info@hrtouch.ch

www.hrtouch.ch

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

Most organizations still confuse performance with potential.
They take a standout performer, move them up… and then wonder why that person struggles in the role they’ve been thrown into.

The reality? There’s a huge difference between being a high performer and being a high-potential leader.

One gets results.
The other shapes the future.
One executes today.
The other transforms tomorrow.

If you want to become a world-class executive—a leader who builds culture, empowers people, and drives bold, sustainable outcomes—you can’t rely on performance alone. You have to develop the competencies, courage, and character that define true high-potential leadership.

Because at the end of the day, you can’t outperform a lack of leadership maturity.

In this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT, Rich and Maikel break down the real difference between high performers and high potentials—and why only one of them consistently makes it to the executive level.

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

Transformation doesn’t begin with a memo, a mission statement, or a new initiative. It begins with awareness — the moment a leader realizes that culture isn’t what’s written on the wall… it’s what’s tolerated in the hall.

Dr. Peter James is an executive coach, former U.S. Army officer, academic, and organizational leader. Peter has spent over two decades working at the intersection of leadership, culture, and change: from platoon to boardroom, from classroom to executive suite. His experience spans military command, Fortune 100 business, university faculty leadership, and coaching executives through transformational change.

Peter joins Rich and Maikel as we dive deep into transformational change — not as a corporate buzzword, but as a living, breathing shift in leadership identity and organizational culture. We’ll explore how situational awareness—the ability of a leader to sense, interpret, and respond to what’s really happening in the system can ignite or derail cultural transformation.

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

How often have you felt like "ME" replaced "WE" in your organization? If this is you, you are not alone.

In today’s episode — “The Narcissism Tax: What Selfish Leaders Cost Their Teams” — we’re unpacking one of the most destructive yet overlooked forces in organizations: self-interested leadership.

When a leader’s ego takes the driver’s seat, the whole organization pays the price — in disengagement, lost trust, stalled innovation, and the quiet exit of great people. We’ll explore how narcissistic or self-serving behavior shows up in subtle ways, why it erodes psychological safety, and what truly healthy leadership looks like instead.

Because every act of selfishness at the top carries a hidden tax — one that’s paid by the culture, the team, and ultimately, the bottom line.

Join Rich and Maikel as we uncover the real cost of narcissistic, self-serving leadership in this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT.

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

Every organization has them — brilliant, hard-working leaders who remain unnoticed. They’re the ones who deliver, who meet every target, but who somehow stay under the radar. It’s not because they lack talent. More often, it’s because they’ve learned to play small… to wait their turn… to let others take the stage.

But here’s the truth: you can’t create impact while staying invisible.
Leadership starts with presence. And presence isn’t about being loud — it’s about being clear.

So, here’s our question for you:
Where are you still playing small? What part of your leadership have you been keeping safe… waiting to be noticed?

Rich and Maikel explore the powerful truth that you don’t need permission to be seen. Executive coaching isn’t about repairing what’s broken — it’s about awakening the brilliance that’s already within you. Tune in to this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT and discover how to move from invisible to unforgettable.

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!

Culture is everywhere in leadership conversations. Executives call it a top priority. They launch new values campaigns, roll out wellbeing programs, rewrite mission statements, and deliver heartfelt talks about trust and purpose. But here’s the tension: for all the activity, something isn’t landing. In many organizations, the more leaders talk about culture, the more hollow it feels — especially when the systems and actions behind the words don’t line up.

In today’s episode we’re diving into a counterintuitive insight from a recent Harvard Business Review article: culture isn’t changed by fancy slogans or stirring speeches. It’s changed by the systems — incentives, processes, workflows, structural design — that guide day-to-day behavior.

Join Rich and Maikel as we break down why leaders who rely solely on messaging often fall short, how systemic design outpaces communication, and concrete steps you can take to rewire your organization’s cultural architecture in this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT.

Leaders, Lead Well!

Thank you to all of our listeners in over 100 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.

Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.

https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/

John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/

Rich Baron:
rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/
https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/

Maikel Bailey:
mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/
https://maikelbailey.com/