Positive Leadership

What if the greatest turnaround in modern corporate history wasn’t driven by financial engineering or restructuring, but by an unshakeable belief in science and human talent? 
In this powerful episode of the Positive Leadership Podcast, I welcome Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca—a visionary leader who transformed a struggling pharmaceutical company into a defining global force in oncology, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory care. 
He is also someone I know personally: I had the privilege of serving on the AstraZeneca board between 2008 and 2016, and I was in the boardroom when we appointed him as CEO. 
What makes Pascal’s leadership so rare is his non-traditional ascent. He didn't start with an elite corporate playbook; his foundational lessons were grounded in learning the value of loyalty and protecting his people. By beginning his professional life as a practicing veterinarian, he developed a profound sense of empathy—traits that continue to drive his unwavering commitment to putting patients first today. 
But Pascal’s story isn’t your typical corporate trajectory. Raised in a humble background where he learned early lessons about loyalty, standing up for his team, and defending his territory, he began his professional life not in business, but as a veterinarian. It was this experience that profoundly shaped his empathy and his "patient-first" approach to leadership. 
In our conversation, we explore: 
🔬 The Turnaround – How Pascal orchestrated AstraZeneca's massive transformation by instilling a clear, shared purpose and focusing relentlessly on patient outcomes. 
🛡️ The Pfizer Takeover – How Pascal defended AstraZeneca against a massive hostile takeover bid from Pfizer by betting everything on the truth of long-term science. 
🌍 COVID-19 & Global Access – The leadership lessons learned during the pandemic and the drive to ensure global, equitable access to the vaccine, particularly for countries in the Global South. 
🤖 AI and the Future of Discovery – How AI is accelerating the race to cure cancer and redefine medicine. 
Pascal’s insight: “People come to work because they believe they can make a difference. First, a shared purpose. Second, clarity about each person’s contribution to that goal.” Whether navigating a corporate crisis, defending core values against short-term pressures, or building a culture of psychological safety and innovation, this conversation is a masterclass in resilient, purpose-driven leadership. 
Key Themes: Corporate turnarounds, healthcare innovation, purpose-driven leadership, AI in medicine, empathy, resilience, scientific truth, navigating crises. 
🎧 Related Episodes You’ll Love: 
Indra Nooyi: Driving performance with purpose
Sir Ronald Cohen: Reinventing capitalism for impact
Gianpiero Petriglieri: Leadership, a matter of love
Fabio Barbosa: Leading with Purpose: Profit, People, and the Planet

Subscribe now to JP's free monthly newsletter "Positive Leadership and You" on LinkedIn to transform your positive impact today: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/positive-leadership-you-6970390170017669121/

What if the stories you inherited about who you’re supposed to become—from your family, your industry, your own fears—are the very narratives holding you back? 
In this powerful episode of the Positive Leadership Podcast, I welcome Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, a visionary media executive who has led transformations at The New Yorker and WIRED, and an extraordinary marathoner who set an American record in the 50K at age 45. 
But Nick’s story isn’t just about professional success or athletic achievement. It’s about the conscious choice to rewrite the narrative we inherit. 
Nick grew up watching his brilliant father—a Rhodes Scholar and academic star—whose life eventually “cracked up” due to alcoholism and personal struggles. Around Nick’s 40th birthday, his father warned him: “All men’s lives fall apart at this age.” That was the script Nick had inherited. A story of inevitable decline. 
But Nick refused to live that story. 
In our conversation, we explore: 
🏃 The Running Ground – How Nick used running as therapy to honor his father while writing a different ending (achieving a 2:29 marathon at 44) 
📰 Truth in the Age of Misinformation – Leading The Atlantic through a crisis of trust, deepfakes, and algorithmic manipulation 
🤖 AI as Editorial Tool vs. Existential Threat – Why he says AI is “the best tool we’ve ever had” but could also “completely obliterate us” 
👨‍👦 Inherited Patterns – Recognizing generational trauma and consciously choosing a different path 
⚖️ ️ The Church-State Separation – Why editorial independence matters more than ever 
💪 Defying Aging – Getting faster with age and what it teaches about leadership limits 
Nick’s profound insight: “I run because of my father. Running connects me to my father; it reminds me of my father; and it gives me a way to avoid becoming my father.” 
That sentence captures everything: honoring where we come from while consciously choosing who we become. 
Whether you’re navigating generational patterns, leading through uncertainty, or simply asking yourself what story you want to live—this conversation will challenge and inspire you. 
Key Themes: Narrative identity, media leadership, AI ethics, generational healing, resilience, editorial integrity, running as therapy, conscious choice 
🎧 Related Episodes You’ll Love: - 
 Herminia Ibarra: Growing through personal disruption https://www.buzzsprout.com/1798971/episodes/10210926 
Caroline Leaf: Managing your mind - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1798971/episodes/15018482 
Angela Duckworth: The power of grit - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1798971/episodes/14677055 
Peggy Johnson: Leading a human-centric future of AI - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1798971/episodes/18329548 
Subscribe now to JP's free monthly newsletter "Positive Leadership and You" on LinkedIn to transform your positive impact today: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/positive-leadership-you-6970390170017669121/

Dans ce nouvel épisode du Positive Leadership Podcast, j'ai l'honneur d'accueillir Moussa Camara, un entrepreneur visionnaire et un bâtisseur de ponts infatigable qui redessine le visage de l'entrepreneuriat en France.
Fondateur de l'association Les Déterminés, Moussa a consacré sa vie à une conviction simple mais puissante : le talent est partout, même si les opportunités ne le sont pas. Sa mission ? Libérer le potentiel des entrepreneurs issus des quartiers populaires et des zones rurales en les connectant aux réseaux du monde des affaires.
Mais pour comprendre l'homme, il faut revenir au début de son parcours. Tout a commencé à Cergy-Pontoise, dans le quartier "Croix-Petit". Enfant d'une famille nombreuse originaire du Mali, c'est là qu'il a lancé sa toute première "entreprise" : un service de retour de caddies au supermarché local. Une école de l'humilité et du travail.
Dans notre conversation, nous plongeons au cœur de son incroyable résilience. Nous discutons sans filtre de la manière dont il a transformé l'échec de sa première entreprise (logistique et télécoms) en un tremplin pour bâtir quelque chose de plus grand. C'est une véritable masterclass sur le "Grit" (la niaque) — cette combinaison de passion et de persévérance dont j'avais discuté avec Angela Duckworth.
Enfin, nous regardons vers l'avenir. Ensemble, nous explorons comment construire des écosystèmes qui ressemblent enfin à notre société. Moussa partage sa vision ambitieuse avec le lancement de Time4, un fonds d'investissement créé en partenariat avec Daphni, HEC et Live for Good, conçu pour financer ces entrepreneurs trop souvent ignorés qui construisent pourtant l'économie de demain.
Dans cet épisode, nous abordons :
Les Racines : Son enfance à Cergy et les valeurs de travail ancrées par sa famille et son premier job de caddies.
Les Tripes de l'Entrepreneur : Comment rebondir après la faillite et transformer la colère en énergie positive.
Le Mouvement : La création des Déterminés pour faire le pont entre "la rue" et les conseils d'administration.
L'ADN : Pourquoi "Ne jamais rien lâcher" est une compétence de survie vitale. 
Le Futur (Time4) : Notre ambition commune pour financer l'excellence, d'où qu'elle vienne.
Moussa nous rappelle que le Leadership Positif ne consiste pas seulement à gravir les échelons, mais à construire l'ascenseur pour les autres.
🎧 Si vous avez aimé cette conversation, découvrez aussi :
Angela Duckworth (Sur le pouvoir du "Grit") : Lien 
Fred Swaniker (La prochaine génération de leaders africains) : Lien
Pierre Dubuc (L'éducation pour tous avec OpenClassrooms) : Lien
Subscribe now to JP's free monthly newsletter "Positive Leadership and You" on LinkedIn to transform your positive impact today: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/positive-leadership-you-6970390170017669121/

In this new episode of the Positive Leadership Podcast, I’m delighted to welcome Katarina Berg, a leader who has redefined HR and culture for the digital age. 
As the long-time CHRO of Spotify and now Chief People Officer at On, Katarina has been at the helm of some of the most intense “hyper-growth” stories in tech history. But her journey started long before boardrooms—growing up sailing the world and being homeschooled on the ocean taught her a vital lesson: You cannot control the waves, you can only adjust your sails. 
In our conversation, we dive deep into her philosophy of “Controlled Chaos,” a bold approach that challenges the traditional command-and-control models of corporate leadership. 
Together, we explore a fascinating reality: What happens when you trust your employees enough to let them work from anywhere—not just as a perk, but as a business strategy? Katarina reveals how the “Work From Anywhere” policy at Spotify unlocked talent globally, and how she is now applying similar principles of trust and speed at On. 
But the real revolution isn't just about policy. It is about connection. We discuss her famous “Walk and Talks”—solving complex business problems on mountain trails rather than in meeting rooms—and how staying close to nature makes us better decision-makers. 
In this episode, we cover: 
The Origin Story: How a childhood spent navigating high seas shaped her resilience and adaptability as a leader. 
The Philosophy: Why “Controlled Chaos” is essential for innovation, and why rigidity is the enemy of growth. 
The Strategy: How to implement a “Work From Anywhere” culture that actually works (and isn’t just hybrid theater). 
The Method: The power of the “Walk and Talk” to break down barriers and foster deep human connection. 
The Future: Her advice for the leaders of 2030: “Dare to be bold, lead with your heart, and always lift others as you rise.” 
Katarina reminds us that Positive Leadership is not about choosing between high performance and human care. It is about realizing that you cannot have one without the other. 
I hope you’ll enjoy this energizing conversation with Katarina Berg. 
🎧 If you enjoyed this conversation, you may also like these episodes: 
Hubert Joly: On “The Human Magic” and leading with purpose: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/fr-liberer-la-magie-humaine-pour-reussir-avec-hubert-joly 
Jesper Brodin: Learning to embrace risk at IKEA: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/learning-to-embrace-risk-with-jesper-brodin 
Kathleen Hogan: On building a people-first culture at Microsoft: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/empowering-people-and-organizations-with-kathleen-hogan 
Subscribe now to JP's free monthly newsletter "Positive Leadership and You" on LinkedIn to transform your positive impact today: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/positive-leadership-you-6970390170017669121/

In this final episode of our special series dedicated to AI, I’m delighted to welcome MacKenzie Price, a Stanford-trained psychologist turned education revolutionary and co-founder of Alpha School. 
We often hear that AI might disrupt education, but MacKenzie is proving that it can actually save it. After her own daughter told her that school was “boring,” MacKenzie didn’t just complain—she built a radical new solution from scratch. 
In our conversation, we dive deep into the Alpha School model, a bold approach that challenges the industrial “factory model” of education we’ve accepted for a century. 
Together, we explore a fascinating reality: What happens when you use adaptive AI to handle core academic learning? MacKenzie reveals that her students achieve mastery in just two hours a day. 
But the real revolution isn't the speed. It is what happens with the rest of the time. We discuss how this efficiency frees up space for what makes us truly human: “Life Skills.” From public speaking and financial literacy to resilience and high-impact collaboration, we explore how to raise children who are not just good test-takers, but changemakers. 
In this episode, we cover: 
The Origin Story: How a moment of frustration sparked a movement to rethink K-12 education. 
The Mechanics: How AI tutors allow teachers to stop being "lecturers" and start being "Guides" and mentors. 
The "2-Hour" Paradox: How accelerating academic learning actually creates more room for creativity, connection, and depth. 
Agency & Leadership: How to give children the autonomy to own their learning journey. 
The Future: What the world looks like when we raise a generation of purpose-driven, self-aware leaders. 
MacKenzie reminds us that Positive Leadership is about having the courage to rethink systems that no longer serve us. Whether you are a parent, an educator, or a leader interested in the future of human potential, this conversation offers a blueprint for a world where technology amplifies our humanity rather than replacing it. 
I hope you’ll enjoy this visionary conversation with MacKenzie Price. 
🎧 If you enjoyed this conversation, you may also like these episodes: 
Peggy Johnson: Leading a Human-Centric Future of AI and Robotics https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/peggy-johnson-leading-a-human-centric-future-of-ai-and-robotics  
Human centric AI (with Rana el Kaliouby): https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/human-centric-ai-with-rana-el-kaliouby  
Revolutionizing Education with Sal Khan https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/revolutionizing-education-with-sal-khan 
Subscribe now to JP's free monthly newsletter "Positive Leadership and You" on LinkedIn to transform your positive impact today: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/positive-leadership-you-6970390170017669121/