What if slowing down was the hidden superpower of leadership? What is the place of grief in leadership and healthy performance? And what on earth is a “hang-back meeting”?

In this simply extraordinary conversation with Paul Zonneveld, we explore these questions — and how leadership is evolving - and must evolve - in a complex world where everything is connected with everything.

Together, we dive into hands-on daily practices that help leaders access hidden knowledge — tapping into the deeper wisdom available in every meeting, every moment.

Listen in to a truly rich dialogue, anchored in systemic intelligence and grounded in the everyday reality of leadership – the life of Chief Energy Officers.

This moment might just be the doorway to a whole new journey.

learn more:

"Emergent: The Power of Systemic Intelligence to Navigate the Complexity of M&A"

"Chief Energy Officer - bewusst menschlich führen" (german edition)

"Chief Energy Officer: Universal Principles to nurture a Spirit of Performance" (english edition)

Dustin leads the European consulting business at Heidrick & Struggles and is co-author of the bestselling book Lead Through Anything, written with his long-time friend and collaborator Ed Manfre. At his core, Dustin is guided by a heartfelt purpose: to leave behind a world better led – not just for today, but for our children.

For more than three decades he has worked from that growing inner intention with CEOs, executive teams, and organizations around the globe – helping to shape thriving cultures and leadership. Staring from within to bring strategy to life.

In this inspiring and deeply human conversation, we explore the essential role of our inner state of mind and state of heart – of living consciously between, and leading from, fear and love.

We explore what becomes possible when we lead courageously from empathy, when we overcome separation and recreate connection – again, and again, and again.

Dustin believes that leadership always starts within. He shares how his own journey – and the people who have walked it with him – have shaped his perspective on leadership, culture, and the ongoing evolution of his role and awareness.

We speak of galaxies and boardrooms, of rockets and rebirth, of empathy and performance. If you wonder how all of that belongs in one conversation – find out ....

Learn more:

"Chief Energy Officer - bewusst menschlich führen" (amazon: german edition)

"Chief Energy Officer: Universal Principles to nurture a Spirit of Performance" (amazon: english edition)

Lead Through Anything: Harness Purpose, Vitality, and Agility to Thrive in the Face of Unrelenting Change Dustin Seale & Ed Manfre

Show your true leadership colours - in style: The original C.E.O. Hoodie

In der neusten Episode von „Chief Energy Officer“ spreche ich mit meinem Gast Dirk Paessler über die zentrale Rolle von Hoffnung und Purpose als Quellen für Innovation und erfolgreiche Unternehm(ung)en. Es geht um Sandburgen, Burn-Out, Long Covid, Raum für Stille, und … die Zukunft unseres Planeten.

Was all das mit moderner Führung und der CEO-Rolle zu tun hat, erfahrt ihr in diesem sehr persönlichen mutigen Podcast.

Dirk ist Gründer und ehemaliger CEO der Paessler AG, und hat sich dann bewusst und schrittweise aus dem operativen Geschäft zurückgezogen.

Darüber hat Dirk ein sehr persönliches Buch geschrieben mit dem Titel: „Der Chef muss weg“. Darin schreibt Dirk nicht nur über die Entwicklung vom Ein-Mann Betrieb zu einem mittelständischen Unternehmen mit weltweiten Kunden und welche ganz besondere Rolle darin Paessler-Unternehmenskultur darin spielet, sondern auch über die Erfahrung mit seinem Burnout.

Heute geht Dirk als Klima-Aktivist neue Wege und treibt Innovation im Bereich „Negative Emissionen“ voran. Er gründete dazu die Carbon Drawdown Initiative, die sich auf negative Emissionstechnologien spezialisiert und ist Mitbegründer und Vizepräsident der Negative Emission Plattform.

Endecke mehr:

"Der Chef Muss Weg", Dirk Paessler

"Chief Energy Officer - bewusst menschlich führen" (german edition)

"Chief Energy Officer: Universal Principles to nurture a Spirit of Performance" (english edition)

“I love locker rooms – they smell potential.” Ted Lasso

How can we create impact by consciously tapping into love - as a leadership force?

What must be the place of forgiveness in business?

How can we transform an estranged society – and wash the feet of other people?

And what does making this a world better led actually mean?

Right Now, in these times, today…

These are some of the questions I’m exploring with Jennifer Ferch in this deeply meaningful, rich, and heartfelt episode of “Chief Energy Officer – Time to Lead”.

Jennifer Ferch is the Chief Operating Officer of NBC Camps, an organization committed to developing athletes both on and off the court, and that has impacted tens of thousands of young people through sport - integrating athletic excellence with personal, transformational growth.

Behind her title is a much deeper story — one of legacy, of love in action, and of a commitment to healing. Jennifer is the daughter of Fred Crowell, the founder of NBC Camps and a pioneer in athletic coaching rooted in love.

What would become possible if leaders were willing to ask more often: “Will you forgive me?”

We’d like honor and dedicate this podcast to her father Fred and to our shared friend and mentor Paul Nakai.

And now, let’s “flood the zone” - with love, forgiveness, meaning and courage, right here!

Learn more:

"Chief Energy Officer - bewusst menschlich führen" (german edition)

"Chief Energy Officer: Universal Principles to nurture a Spirit of Performance" (english edition)

Words of Hope, Fred Cromwell

This is an experiment. During this special episode I'm inviting two Chat GPT entities to explore with each other what it would take to make this a world better led. Rather than me asking them, I let them share and inquire further with each other.

Discover what these two entities, that have no experience what so ever in leading organizations, teams or themselves, let alone developing leaders, that can't feel love nor fear, that don't know human moods or personal energy ... have to say about human-centric leadership.

I have left this mostly unedited, including the funny parts, and merely shortened the silent moments when one entity was processing an answer. I also took the liberty to give both a gentle nudge when they seemed stuck in one topic area to keep the conversation moving.

It is time for conscious human-centric leadership. Because people are the only species we’re hiring. And nothing influences an organization’s culture - how we think and feel and hence act and decide 24/7 - and therefore the success of organizations as much as how we lead.

Learn more:

amazon (german edition): "Chief Energy Officer - bewusst menschlich führen"

amazon (english edition): "Chief Energy Officer: Universal Principles to nurture a Spirit of Performance"

Mieke Jacobs is a poet, writer, storyteller, sculptor, systemic leadership coach, facilitator and teacher. Above all she sees herself as a wanderer, a pilgrim, a wisdom seeker, contemplator and soul searcher.

In this episode Mieke reflects about how we can "expand our capacity to lead ourselves and our teams in order to achieve not only our objectives but also the larger invitation to look beyond growth and profit".

We talk about Mieke's most recent book "Poet Assassin" and how words can be a powerful "acupuncture point" for growing and leading in our increasingly complex and wounded world - in our shared "kingdom".

And we explore that value of leading with the awareness our human nervous system - the "state of heart" of ourselves, our team, organization and society.

Thank you, Mieke, for this gathering of hearts and spirits and this rich inspiring conversation that emerged from it.

Books from Mieke:

Poet Assassin

Emergent: The Power of Systemic Intelligence to Navigate the Complexity of M&A

Was haben Spielplätze, Kinder, und Väter mit Präsenz, Führung, Transformation und AI zu tun? Und warum sollten wir AI vielleicht lieber Augmented Intelligence nennen?

Darüber und mehr spreche ich mit Benjamin Ferreau und Morten Wolff – Unternehmer, Führungskräfte, Väter, und Co-Autoren von „Die Kunst der Transformation! Was Führungskräfte vom Elternsein lernen können – aus der Sicht von Fünf Vätern.“

Mehr entdecken:

Chief Energy Officer – bewusst menschlich führen, Boris Diekmann

In this special podcast I’m joined by Alessandro De Luca, CIO & Head of Information Technology at the Merck Group, the world’s oldest healthcare company with 60 thousand employees present in on 66 countries.

In this very multifaceted conversation Alessandro reflects about his personal journey as a leader, the interdependence of human leadership and artificial intelligence, the role of “eldership” and – the capacity to listen with the heart.

Discover more:

Chief Energy Officer – bewusst menschlich führen, Boris Diekmann

Dr. Patti Canchola, “Dr Patti”, has been a practicing veterinarian for 32 years with 12 years in shelter Medicine, “living the dream of helping people and pets” as she says.

She’s been the CEO of two non-profit organizations, featured on the National Geographics TV-series “Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue” and received the “American Humane Hero Veterinarian” award.

Patti and I explore her very personal experience of human leadership…in a hospital and life. We talk about generosity and kindness, grief and healing, noise and silence, mentoring and encouragement, presence and love.

Thank you, Patti, for this deeply human, moving, and life-giving moment.

Mehr entdecken:

Chief Energy Officer – bewusst menschlich führen, Boris Diekmann

„Wenn Führungskräfte schlecht schlafen, dann schlafen Mitarbeitende auch schlecht.“

Dr. med. Martin Schlott - Chefarzt, Anästhesist, Autor, Coach und Speaker

Das kann man wörtlich und sinnbildlich verstehen, denn: gesunde menschliche Leistung ist das Resultat gesunder menschlicher Energie.

Warum müssen Führungskräfte träumen? Wie können wir häufiger in Bestform sein und langfristig bleiben? Und worauf können wir achten, wenn wir’s mal nicht sind? Welche entscheidende Rolle spielt unser Schlaf für gesunde Hochleistung in Organisationen und wirksame, menschliche Führung?

Darüber und mehr spreche ich mit Dr. med. Martin Schlott - Chefarzt, Anästhesist, Autor des Bestsellers „Erfolgsfaktor Schlaf“, Coach und Speaker - in einer neuen Folge von „Der Chief Energy Officer Podcast – Zeit für Führung“.

Bücher zum Vertiefen:

Erfolgsfaktor Schlaf – Leistung Steigern, Traumergebnisse erzielen, Dr. med. Martin Schlott

Chief Energy Officer – bewusst menschlich führen, Boris Diekmann