In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman talks with Ricky Hopson, Group President, Clinical and Specialty Services at Catalent and Chief of Staff. With over 25 years at Catalent, Ricky has navigated roles across finance, operations, and executive leadership in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

You'll learn:

• How Ricky's finance background shaped his leadership across multiple functions
• Why expertise in both finance and operations drives success
• How to build cross-functional teams and plan for succession at every level
• How to create positive client relationships, even during high-pressure negotiations
• What makes a great CFO and how leadership roles are evolving today

Share this episode with a senior leader who's balancing multi-functional responsibilities.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman speaks to Deborah Borg, EVP, Chief People and Culture Officer at IFF. Deborah shares her insights on navigating the C-Suite, balancing leadership roles, and the power of clear communication. They dive into the evolving role of HR, how to influence the C-Suite as an HR executive, and the tension between business needs and people-first leadership.

You’ll explore:

• The challenges and rewards of being the sole HR voice in the C-Suite, and how to keep employee interests front and center.
• The importance of speaking up early and confidently, even on topics outside your functional expertise, plus why curiosity is at a premium for today's senior leaders.
• Why collaboration (not ego) is key to executive leadership, along with managing change, handling fatigue, and being explicit about what to stop doing.
• The strategic value of HR leaders on corporate boards and how to break into board roles.
• Balancing digital tools with human connection, including how AI assistants can free up HR for high-impact moments.

This episode is packed with practical advice on leadership, navigating HR in the C-Suite, and fostering a culture of change. Share it with a fellow leader who might need these insights.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

To learn more about Deborah Borg, www.iff.com/experts/debora-borg

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman uses the analogy of landing in Paris after expecting a perfect trip to reveal why executive leadership feels so different today. The job changes while you are in it, leaving even seasoned leaders caught off guard.

Leaders now face shifting macroeconomic conditions, geopolitical pressures, and AI driven disruption. Traditional preparation from business schools and past roles no longer applies.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Why unpredictability is the new normal and how to stop reacting and start anticipating
• How to build anticipatory muscles to adjust in real time, not just run scenarios
• The shift from pushing teams to mobilizing them quickly with clarity and confidence

Elizabeth offers practical advice on operating in uncertainty and delivering value even in turbulent times. Tune in to reflect on your leadership approach and gain actionable insights.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

Past Episode Mentioned: Ep 22 - When Smart Executives Can't Get People to Follow

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

On this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman sits down with Dr. Mitch Stevenson, President and CEO of Frontgrade Technologies, to explore what it really takes to lead through constant change. Drawing from his military background, Mitch shares why transformation is no longer a long term initiative, it is happening in real time.

He offers a grounded perspective on navigating uncertainty, managing change fatigue, and building organizations that can adapt quickly without a clear playbook, all while staying anchored in strong leadership principles.

Key themes include:

• Why the best laid plans rarely survive first contact, and how effective leaders adapt in real time
• How military leadership shaped Mitch’s approach to contingency based leadership and managing risk and opportunity
• The role of authenticity and self awareness when leading without a clear roadmap
• Practical ways to address change fatigue while still moving the organization forward
• The value of empowering external change agents and investing in continuous improvement to drive lasting change

This episode is a reminder that if you're navigating change in your organization or stepping into a leadership role without a clear roadmap, you'll find a practical and honest perspective to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

To learn more about Dr. Mitch Stevenson, www.frontgrade.com/people/mitch-stevison.

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman explores the subtle forms of negative executive energy that quietly undermine trust and performance. She breaks down how even high-performing leaders can unintentionally shift into self-protective behaviors that hold them back.

From proving your worth to perfecting every detail, these tendencies often come from a good place. This conversation offers a grounded look at how to recognize these patterns and shift back to a more intentional, results-driven way of leading.

You’ll explore:

• How these three types of negative executive energy show up under pressure
• Why trying to prove your value at senior levels can actually weaken your credibility
• How over-managing perception or staying overly polished can come across as inauthentic and limit your influence
• The hidden cost of perfectionism on team performance, decision-making speed, and long-term scalability

You'll learn practical ways to spot your default pattern and make small, immediate shifts in how you show up. From saying less in moments of proving energy to sharing work before it feels perfect, these adjustments can quickly change how others experience your leadership and the impact you create.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

On this episode of Executiveland, Kevin Campbell, CEO of Insights and Data at Capgemini and former CEO of Syniti, joins Elizabeth Freedman to share the unspoken realities of stepping into the top job. Drawing on decades of experience leading global data and transformation businesses, Kevin offers a candid look at how senior executives balance instinct, influence, and accountability while navigating boards, acquisitions, and an AI-driven landscape.

You’ll explore:

• Why strong opinions in the C-suite should spark productive debate, not silence it
• How to influence a CEO by pairing data with context, judgment, and market perspective
• What it takes to build aligned, mission-driven executive teams that perform under pressure
• The leadership lesson behind “taste the soup” and staying close to the business
• Why curiosity is becoming a defining competitive advantage for leaders navigating AI and transformation

Tune in for straight talk on boardroom dynamics, executive communication, and leading through change with clarity and conviction.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

To learn more about Kevin Campell, visit his linkedin.

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman tackles a high-stakes challenge for senior leaders: rebuilding lost credibility in the C-Suite. She shares actionable strategies for navigating this, focusing specifically on how to deliver bad news to your CEO without escalating the damage.

Key takeaways include:

• How to leverage clear and concise communication when things go wrong, taking ownership and pivoting from excuses to actionable solutions
• Why "under-reacting" to tough feedback or unrealistic requests helps preserve trust and avoid escalating tension
• The reason the "Trust Me" trap fails, and how to earn confidence through demonstrated competence and consistent action instead
• Why strong judgment is critical and understanding what truly matters to the executive team and making decisions accordingly

If you're ready to learn how to regain trust and communicate more effectively at the executive level, tune in to this episode!

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

CFO Neal Sheorey joins Elizabeth Freedman to share what it really takes to step into the C suite when there is no playbook to follow. As a first time CFO at Albemarle, a global specialty chemicals company and one of the world’s largest lithium producers, Neal reflects on his three year journey navigating change and making the role his own.

Neal offers an honest look at how senior leaders actually learn on the job, why the C suite playbook is unwritten by design, and what it means to lead with confidence when the environment shifts quickly. From managing a major balance sheet pivot within his first 100 days, to building trust with a board as a new executive, this conversation highlights the mindset, judgment, and resilience required at the top.

Key themes you’ll explore:

• How first-time C-Suite executives develop their own style and trust their instincts in the role
• What it takes to earn trust quickly as a new, external leader in a a high pressure environment
• Lessons from leading through thinking quickly, rapid change, and market shifts
• How CFOs can influence decisions through clarity, data, and strong relationships

This episode offers a grounded, real world look at what actually matters in the first years at the top. Tune in to hear how Neal Sheorey built confidence, credibility, and momentum in one of the most demanding seats in the organization and what his journey reveals about leadership in uncertain environments.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify and so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

To learn more about Neal Sheorey, visit www.albemarle.com.

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

Followership is often framed as something your direct reports give to you. In this solo episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman challenges that view, reframing followership as a core skill for senior leaders.

At the highest levels, impact depends not just on leading well, but on creating conditions that make others willing to commit time and energy to your agenda. Drawing from an excerpt from her E-Suite Impact course, Elizabeth explains why willingness is a choice, why your value must be obvious, and how outdated value playbooks quietly erode influence. 

You'll learn:

• How to assess where you have real commitment across stakeholders
• The difference between making the puzzle clear and making it worth solving
• How the S-curve reveals when to reinvent yourself
• Why outdated value strategies weaken your impact and what to do instead

Tune in to rethink how you build commitment at every level.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader

In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman reconnects with her former CEO and mentor, Suzanne Bates. Suzanne, founder of Bates Communications, shares her journey of selling her company to BTS and reflects on the leadership transitions that shaped her career.

Together, they explore the difference between managing and truly leading, offering a masterclass in the soft skills that drive hard results. Whether you're stepping into the C-suite or redefining your current role, this conversation provides a roadmap for evolving as a leader.

Key takeaways:

• What it really takes to build teams that weather challenges and drive organizational success
• The power of pairing confidence with humility and vision with practical wisdom
• Why reinventing your career starts with navigating major transitions, from scaling a company to selling one
• How true presence is less about how you speak and more about how you inspire and mobilize teams

Tune in for candid advice from a veteran CEO coach on the habits that separate good executives from great ones.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

Past Episode Mentioned: Ep 11 - Advising the C-Suite: What Really Happens When You Coach CEOs

• Free C-Suite Readiness Assessment
• Website: https://esuiteleader.com/
• Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethfreedman/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfreedman
• Twitter X: @‌esuiteleader