Lancefield on the Line

What does love have to do with leadership? More than most leaders dare to admit.
My guest is Gianpiero Petriglieri, a professor at INSEAD and one of the most original and provocative voices on leadership today. We explore his idea of leadership as a kind of love, not sentimental or naive, but deeply relational. He makes a compelling distinction between performance and outcome, arguing that what you can control is not the result but the daily choices and gestures you make.
We go into the practical too. Gianpiero shares why curiosity and generosity shift everything, and why what really develops leaders is relationships with people who tell you the truth.
If you lead a team or organisation, this conversation will invite you to look differently at the small moments of time, attention and care that make leadership real, credible and human.
"Leadership is a relationship, not a toolkit." - Gianpiero Petriglieri
You’ll hear about:
Leadership reframed as a kind of love.
Instrumental versus humanistic relationships.
Curiosity and generosity as leadership habits.
Feeling safe and free at the same time.
Why passion without devotion disappoints.
Balancing reality and imagination.
People, not programmes, develop leaders.
Advice for leaders in a new role.
Culture lives in the spreadsheet.
Investment as leadership credibility.
Quick-fire round on presence and connection.
Gianpiero's best day habits.
About Gianpiero Petriglieri:
Gianpiero Petriglieri is Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD and an expert on leadership and learning in the workplace.
His award-winning research and teaching focus on what it means, and what it takes, to become a leader. He is particularly interested in the meaning and practice of leadership in the age of “nomadic professionalism,” an age in which people have deep bonds to work but loose affiliations to organisations, and authenticity and mobility have replaced loyalty and advancement as hallmarks of virtue and success. A Medical Doctor and Psychiatrist by training, Gianpiero has worked as an executive coach, practiced as a psychotherapist, and served on the staff of group relations conferences in Europe and the United States.
Profile: https://shorturl.at/WYvT1
Instagram: https://shorturl.at/qMHeZ
Writing: https://shorturl.at/rHAbb 
Research: https://shorturl.at/Bj650 
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ) 
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
·      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
·      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
·      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds).
·      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).
·      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

What really blocks capable leaders from progressing, even when performance looks strong on the surface?
In this conversation, I’m joined by executive coach and author Muriel Wilkins to examine how beliefs and assumptions operate like a personal strategy model, shaping the decisions we make.
Muriel draws on her coaching work and personal experience to unpack the seven common beliefs that limit leadership growth. We discuss how these beliefs show up as micromanagement, frustration or dissonance between intent and impact.
We also explore Muriel’s three stage framework of uncovering, unpacking and unblocking beliefs, how reframing creates new choices, and what it looks like to coach yourself before coaching others.
Which belief is shaping how you lead today?
“Leadership blocks are signals, not flaws.” - Muriel Wilkins
You’ll hear about:
Why beliefs work like a personal strategy model
The seven beliefs that commonly block leaders
Why micromanagement limits leading at scale
External versus internal signals of being blocked
How dissonance reveals leadership growth moments
The belief behind feeling you do not belong
Working strategically within systems
The three step unblock framework
Reframing beliefs to change leadership impact
Coaching yourself before coaching others
Why culture change starts with beliefs
Muriel’s best day habit of adaptive focus
About Muriel Wilkins:
Muriel M. Wilkins, founder and CEO of Paravis Partners, is a sought-after C-suite adviser and executive coach with a twenty-year track record of helping senior leaders take their performance to the next level. She is the author of Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential and coauthor of Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence. Muriel is the host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Coaching Real Leaders, consistently ranked as a top-ten podcast in Apple's Management category. She was recently shortlisted for the 2025 Thinkers50 Coaching and Mentoring Award.
Resources:
Website: Murielwilkins.com
Podcast: https://www.murielwilkins.com/podcast-coaching-real-leaders
Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647827264
Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murielwilkins/ and https://www.instagram.com/coachmurielwilkins/
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ) 
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

What does it take to lead at the board level when the ground beneath you keeps shifting?
My guest, Shefaly Yogendra, is a board director, advisor and author who has served on boards across sectors and geographies. She brings a forensic ability to ask the right questions, a deep understanding of governance under pressure, and the kind of clarity that only comes from years of experience in the room.
We get into what separates boards that add genuine value from those that go through the motions, why cognitive flexibility and moral inflexibility must coexist, and how boards should approach AI as a source of risk, not just a useful tool.
If you sit on a board, work with one, or are aiming to, this conversation will change how you think about what great governance looks like in practice.
“A good board is where nobody is affronted by questions” – Shefaly Yogendra
You’ll hear about:
The real dual role of boards.
Leading when the ground keeps shifting.
Mindsets to add and subtract now.
Cognitive flexibility vs moral inflexibility.
The board’s creation and mentoring role.
How boards shape and sharpen strategy.
Most damaging boardroom behaviour to address.
Agenda design and board preparation.
How effective board decisions get made.
AI in the boardroom and its risks.
Superpower: reading widely, connecting dots faster.
About Shefaly:
Shefaly Yogendra, PhD is an internationally experienced strategist. She has worked closely with Owner-led as well as Professional Manager-led organisations in their journey towards enhanced resilience with a focus on technology innovation, risk and foresight, and governance. Shefaly is an independent non-executive board director and experienced committee chair in regulated sectors including financial services, energy, higher education and legal services. She is a trusted boardroom adviser and a popular speaker and podcast guest on themes such as AI, GRC, investment, and future skills. 
Resources:
·      Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shefaly/
·      Book ‘Uncharted spaces’: https://www.unchartedspaces.info/
·      Spoken thought leadership: https://shefaly-yogendra.com/speaking-writing-media/ 
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ) 
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
·      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
·      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
·      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
·      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
·      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

I'm writing a book. There, I said it out loud.
And in this episode, I invited someone who knows exactly what that means to put me in the hot seat.
Scott Miller is a literary agent, 8 x best-selling author, and former podcast host of one of the world's most popular weekly leadership shows. He's represented hundreds of authors and been part of teams that have sold over 100 million copies of books. In this special episode, we swap chairs. Scott interviews me about my forthcoming book, Daily Strategies, and I interview him about what it takes to write, launch and land a great book.
We get into the architecture of Daily Strategies, the seven moments and seven days that form the spine of the book, and why I believe strategy needs to move from the boardroom into the everyday decisions of mid-career professionals. Scott shares his own writing process, why he writes for readers who are like him, and why platform building matters far more than most authors realise.
If you've ever thought about writing a book, are in the middle of one, or just want a behind-the-scenes look at what a book really takes, this one is for you.
“Writing a book is 10% of the process.” – Scott Miller
You’ll hear about:
Why I decided to write a book now.
The ideal reader for Daily Strategies.
The personal story behind the book.
The architecture of the seven moments.
How to reset after a difficult or shocking moment.
How readers will use the book day to day.
Scott's writing process and style.
Balancing storytelling with practical toolkits.
The one thing authors must nail.
Why platform matters more than content.
Scott's biggest superpower as an author.
Scott's best day habit and what fuels it.
About Scott:
Scott Jeffrey Miller is an eight-time Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author and for seven years hosted the world's largest weekly leadership podcast, On Leadership with Scott Miller. Scott is the cofounder of The Gray + Miller Agency, a literary, speaking, and talent agency representing hundreds of internationally recognised thought leaders and also cofounded Maison Vero, a professional publishing house bringing authors' books of all genres to the world's marketplace.
Resources:
Profile: https://shorturl.at/7lSa1 
Website: https://shorturl.at/ZnApj 
Gray + Miller Agency: https://shorturl.at/4VX1h 
Instagram: https://shorturl.at/iZgV2 
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter http://bit.ly/36WRpri for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
·      Services https://rb.gy/ahlcuy to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
·      About me https://rb.gy/dvmg9n - my background, experience and philosophy.
·      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds
·      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP
·      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter https://bit.ly/36XavNI

What does courage really look like in leadership?
Often, we associate courage with bold gestures, fearless leaders, or decisive moments where doubt disappears.
My guest in this conversation is Professor Ranjay Gulati of Harvard Business School, who challenges that assumption through his research into what he calls the surprising science of everyday courage, and shows why fear is not a flaw in leadership but a starting point.
We explore why courage is a decision rather than a personality trait, how leaders can resource themselves when uncertainty rises, and the difference between thoughtful courage and reckless action. Ranjay shares stories from his research and personal experience that reveal how narrative, support squads, rituals and process help individuals and organisations act boldly with purpose.
If you’re facing decisions that feel uncomfortable this episode will help you build courage deliberately and use it as a practical leadership skill.
“Fear is a reaction; courage is a decision” – Ranjay Gulati
You’ll hear about
Why courage is a decision, not a trait
How fear shows up in leadership decisions
Courage versus recklessness
Individual courage versus collective courage
The power of personal narrative
How leaders resource themselves
Support squads and courageous leadership
Why courage is a team sport
Rituals that help manage fear
Building courage as a muscle
Common leadership blind spots around courage 
About Ranjay Gulati:
Ranjay Gulati is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.  His pioneering work focuses on unlocking organizational and individual potential—embracing courage, nurturing purpose-driven leaders, driving growth, and transforming businesses. The Economist, Financial Times and the Economist Intelligence Unit have listed him as among the top handful of business school scholars whose work is most relevant to management practice.  He is a Thinkers50 top management scholar, and serves on the board of several entrepreneurial ventures. He is the author of Deep Purpose (2022) and How to be Bold (2025), both published by HarperCollins. He lives in Newton, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranjay-gulati/
Book - How to be Bold: the Surprising Science of Everyday Courage: https://ranjaygulati.com/how-to-be-bold/
Research - https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=77265
My resources:
Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)
Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)
Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.
For more details about me:
Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.
About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.
Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)
Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)
Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)