ExExecs Podcast

Leading Through Disruption

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Disruption has stopped being the exception and become the job. Three former chief executives on how to lead through it.

John Newton, Tarek Anwar and Robin are the ExExecs - three former executives from banking and education who talk honestly about what leadership actually demands. No guest this episode, just the three of them on the topic every exec is living right now.

It's Monday morning. Tariffs, conflict in the Middle East and AI are all landing at once, and you're the one people look to. This episode is a practical answer to "what do I do?" - how to gather your team and run a fast, honest crisis session, why trust decides whether anyone tells you the truth, and how to treat AI as a chance to remodel your team rather than a threat to survive. It is full of real stories, including a few that did not go to plan.

Key takeaways:

  • Run the reverse-brainstorm: give the team five minutes to say how they would destroy the business, then flip every answer into a fix.
  • Disruption is the new business as usual - practise for it with ten provocative minutes at the end of an ordinary meeting.
  • Anticipate risk early and act on it, the way a good school leader prepared for the VAT change years before it arrived.
  • Lead from the front: take the pay cut, fly economy, walk the floor, be present.
  • Do AI with your people, not to them - automate the humdrum, hire for critical thinking, become ambidextrous.

    • Chapters:

    (00:00) Introduction
    (00:26) The disruption leaders face now
    (01:08) Cost of living and firefighting
    (03:02) Comfortable being uncomfortable
    (04:23) Monday morning: gather the team
    (05:37) Destroy your own business
    (09:14) The school VAT risk lesson
    (11:43) The shark in the marina
    (13:37) Trust and psychological safety
    (14:31) Ownership, notes and brunch
    (16:30) Missing the obvious
    (17:53) A fleet-footed culture
    (19:15) The fishmonger who pivoted
    (20:31) Protecting your staff
    (23:56) A COVID pay cut
    (25:40) Lead from the front
    (28:52) The AI challenge
    (30:06) Remodel the team
    (33:17) The ambidextrous company
    (34:24) Words matter: the CEO megaphone
    (36:06) Wrap-up

    Mentioned: the previous ExExecs episode, Crisis Management with Hania, who led HSBC in Cairo through the Arab Spring. Search "ExExecs" on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to hear it.

    If this was useful, follow ExExecs and send us a question or a topic you would like us to take on. We read everything: [email protected]

    Hosts: John Newton, Tarek Anwar and Robin.

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    ExExecs PodcastBy John Newton