New Solo Episode: Three Leadership Truths We Can’t Ignore
(Reflections on my recent conversation with René Carayol, MBE)Last week on Boardroom Insights, René Carayol, MBE shared some powerful insights about leadership, the kind that stay with you for a long time. In today’s solo episode, I revisited three of his themes and linked them to what I see every day inside boardrooms across Ireland, the UK, and the UAE.
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Leadership Today: Trust, Vulnerability & Finding Leaders Everywhere – with René Carayol MBE
In this episode of Boardroom Insights, Alan O’Neill sits down with renowned leadership coach, speaker and author René Carayol MBE, a man who genuinely coaches CEOs and heads of state, not just talks about it. René opens with a powerful personal story that leads to his central conviction: trust is now the biggest driver of business performance. From there, the conversation ranges across the boardroom and the world stage… from the Prime Minister of Jamaica to Volodymyr Zelensky, Alex Ferguson, elite boxers and frontline hotel doormen.Key themes include:Why leadership today is about environment, not ego – creating a place where everyone feels wanted, not just needed.How we’ve moved from “the cleverest man in the room” to “collaboration is the new leadership.”Why leaders are not born or made – they’re found – and how to spot the “Sallys” in your organisation.The tension between management (hardware) and leadership (software) – and why the “software” now differentiates great leaders.Why vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness, and how quickly owning mistakes builds trust.The impact of Covid, hybrid working, Gen Z and cultural differences across the US, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Much of what René shares connects strongly to Alan’s own work in The Leader’s Six Pack: How to Balance Grit and Grace… but in this episode, Alan mostly lets René run. It’s a masterclass in modern leadership, straight from the boardroom and the front line.
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KISS Solo Episode Unpacking Wojtek’s key insights
In the last episode, I sat down with Wojtek from ABO Energy, one of Europe’s fastest-growing renewable energy companies. And his message was crystal clear:We are living through the fastest energy transition in human history.Sustainability is no longer just about planet and people.It’s now a profit strategy, renewables are officially cheaper than traditional energy. The cost curves have flipped. Storage is transforming reliability. And clean energy now gives nations and companies real independence. In this new solo episode, I unpack Wojtek’s key insights and then go a step further… I weave renewable energy into my 7-Steps to Profit™, so boards and executive teams can see exactly where sustainability belongs in:North Star (purpose, vision, mission) Culture (where credibility lives or dies)Strategy (weaving ESG into the growth engine)People (winning hearts & minds, inviting ideas)Customer (co-creating sustainability with clients)Proposition (products, sourcing, packaging, supply chain)Execution (governance, measurement, follow-through)
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The Future of Energy: Solar, Storage & Sustainability with ABO Energy’s Wojtek Swietochowski
In this conversation, Alan O'Neill and Wojtek Swietochowski discuss the critical role of renewable energy, particularly solar, in achieving sustainability. They explore the economic benefits, the importance of energy storage, and the integration of solar energy with farming. Wojtek shares insights into AboEnergy's business model, the challenges of legislation, and the future trends in renewable energy, including innovations in technology and the potential for hydrogen as a clean energy source.
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AI Isn’t the Strategy… Culture Is: A KISS Debrief from the Boardroom
Following two previous episodes with Paco Underhill and John Mitchell, Alan connects the dots between AI hype and boardroom reality… why culture is the operating system, change management is the gearbox, and strategy still decides the race.In this solo episode, Alan O’Neill explores how AI is reshaping not just technology — but culture, leadership, and strategy.Drawing on insights from previous guests John Mitchell (All Human) and Paco Underhill, Alan unpacks:How AI is changing search and customer behaviourWhy small innovators are outpacing big brandsThe cultural pitfalls that derail strategy executionThe 4D Model — a practical roadmap for AI-driven changeIf you’re leading a team, building strategy, or navigating transformation — this is a must-listen on how to keep culture and execution aligned in the age of AI.
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