How Top CEOs Stay Relevant, Resilient, and Ready for What's Next with McKinsey's Senior Partner
When a leader reaches the top, the climb doesn't stop, it just changes shape. The real challenge isn't getting to the corner office, it's knowing how to stay relevant, resilient, and ready for what's next. The best CEOs don't just lead well once; they lead well through change, mastering the cycles of their own growth. In this episode, I sit down with Kurt Strovink, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and Global Head of McKinsey's CEO Practice, to break down the cyclical nature of leadership from his book A CEO for All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership. Drawing from research on 200 high-performing CEOs, we explore the four seasons of leadership—stepping up, starting strong, staying ahead, and sending it forward—and what distinguishes those who sustain excellence over time. We dive into how cognitive diversity strengthens decision-making, servant leadership keeps power grounded in purpose, and renewal strategies prevent success from breeding complacency. We also explore how great CEOs develop resilience under pressure and create leadership factories that outlast them. This episode offers CHROs a playbook to help leaders evolve through every phase of their journey, and build organizations capable of thriving through every season of change. ------------ Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Looking for what actually moves the needle on performance and retention? It's in The 8 Laws of Employee Experience. Preorder here: 8EXLaws.com
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The Silent Trust Recession, CEO Automation Hype, and Why AI Is Making Workers Miserable
November 20, 2025: This episode breaks down six major stories shaping the future of work and the workplace in 2025. A new study reveals the rise of "Cold Work"—a breakdown of trust between employees and managers marked by hidden behaviors, disengagement, and rising hostility. Google CEO Sundar Pichai makes headlines by claiming the CEO role may be "one of the easier things" for AI to replace, adding fuel to the debate about automation and leadership. The Wall Street Journal reports that the AI boom has become "the most joyless tech revolution ever," with worker anxiety rising even as tech stocks soar. New research from Northeastern shows that workers overwhelmingly prefer retraining over safety nets when facing AI disruption. A delayed U.S. jobs report presents a murky economic picture, combining unexpected job growth with a rising unemployment rate. Meanwhile, Verizon announces 13,000 layoffs, underscoring the turbulence across major industries. ------ If you lead people, you design experiences—do it on purpose with The 8 Laws of Employee Experience. Preorder now: https://bit.ly/8exlaws
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Layoff Chaos, AI Irrationality, Gen Z's Double-Major Gamble, and the Global RTO Divide
November 19, 2025: Amazon and Target stumble through chaotic new layoff tactics, Sundar Pichai warns that the AI boom may be tipping into irrational exuberance, and U.S. and European banks reveal two very different—yet equally successful—approaches to return-to-office. We also unpack the alarming collapse of foundational math skills on college campuses, why leaders are outsourcing performance reviews to AI, and why Gen Z's double-major explosion may matter less than what they can actually show and build. ----------- Looking for what actually moves the needle on performance and retention? It's in The 8 Laws of Employee Experience. Preorder here: https://bit.ly/8exlaws
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AI Adoption Stalls, Ghost Jobs Surge, Gen Z Misunderstood, and New 2026 Work Trends Every Leader Must Know
Novemner 18, 2025: Today's episode breaks down seven of the most important stories shaping the future of work. We explore why AI adoption is stalling inside organizations—and why companies are turning to internal influencers to drive real behavior change. We look at the surge in "ghost job" postings that are distorting the labor market and frustrating job seekers, and we explore the surprising history of the 40-hour workweek and whether it still makes sense in the age of AI. Next, we dive into brand-new data from Glassdoor's Worklife Trends 2026 report, which reveals rising distrust in leadership, declining career visibility, and how early-career workers are reshaping expectations. We also unpack a Guardian story showing that criticism of Gen Z is nothing new—it's a historical pattern that repeats in every era of disruption. We then examine why Big Tech companies are cutting jobs despite record profits and record AI investment, and we close with an Inc. story about an "AI error" that turned out to be human error—a reminder that the biggest risks of automation come from governance, not algorithms. If you want to understand the signals, trends, and shifts reshaping the future of work, this episode connects all the dots. Future-ready organizations are built, not hoped for. My latest book, -The 8 Laws of Employee Experience shows how. Preorder here: https://bit.ly/8exlaws
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CAVA's Chief People Officer on How to Turn Culture Into Action
Growth tests the soul of every organization. As companies expand, consistency often replaces compassion—but CAVA proves you can scale without losing humanity. With 400 restaurants and 12,000 team members, CAVA has built a culture that's as grounded as it is consistent through a people framework rooted in heart, health, and humanity. In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Costanza, Chief People Officer of CAVA, to unpack exactly how they've done it—diving into their MVC framework (Mission, Values, and Competencies) that turns ideals into action. We explore their recognition systems like MVC Awards and Value Cards, the CCT Program that trains leaders as culture coaches, and Impact Plans that replace performance reviews with real-time growth. Kelly also shares how CAVA brings connection to life through the Love Button and Allies in Motion (AIM) programs, integrates culture across the employee lifecycle, and balances AI innovation with human warmth. This episode offers every CHRO a practical look at how to bring values to life, connect them to performance, and make culture come alive. ________________ Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Future-ready organizations are built, not hoped for. My latest book, -The 8 Laws of Employee Experience shows how. Preorder here: 8EXLaws.com
Are you ready to lead in the future of work? Most leaders aren't! Join 5x best-selling author & futurist Jacob Morgan as he interviews the world's top CEOs, best-selling authors, and leading thinkers to bring you the insights, strategies, and tools you need to become a future ready leader. Guests include CEOs from Best Buy, Netflix, Hyatt, and GE as well as leading thinkers like Seth Godin, Dan Pink, Yuval Harari, and Marshall Goldsmith. This is the world's #1 podcast to lead in the future of work!
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