Shows
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastWhat Can Leaders Learn from a Clown? With Janolof ElanderWe explore an unexpected but powerful source of leadership insight: the art of clowning. Together with our guest, Janolof Elander, we dive into how the presence, vulnerability, and connection practiced by clowns can help us become more human-centered and authentic leaders.We invite you to step back and explore how being fully present — even in chaos or uncertainty — opens the door to trust, connection, and transformation.🌟 The Main Principle of Clowning“Don’t try to be funny.”This might feel unintuitive, but clowning isn’t about jokes. It’s about presence, b...2025-05-2340 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastLeadership Under Pressure: What to Do When It Feels Too MuchEven the most seasoned leaders face moments when their work feels overwhelmingly difficult—when self-doubt creeps in, motivation fades, and the usual strategies to "push through" no longer seem to work. In this episode of Second Crack – The Leadership Podcast, we explore what to do when leading starts to feel truly hard.Join us as we reflect on the emotional, mental, and physical toll that leadership challenges can take—especially in today's volatile and high-pressure corporate environments. We talk about how to recognize when it's time to take a break versus when persistence might carry you through. And we...2025-04-2533 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastThe Leadership Challenge Of Promotions － How To Make The Right CallPromoting the right people is one of the most critical decisions a leader can make—but all too often, internal promotions don’t work out as expected.In this episode, we explore the most common mistakes in internal promotions—and, most importantly, how to avoid them. We discuss:The mistake of confusing past performance with future potentialThe lack of clarity and transparency about what’s truly needed for the next-level role—beyond the job descriptionHow the Performance-Potential Matrix can help you take a more structured a highly effective approach to successi...2025-03-2832 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastRe-THINKING Leadership: Exploring the Inner Development GoalsHow we think as leaders profoundly shapes our ability to navigate complexity, make sense of challenges, and involve others. In this episode, we explore the "Thinking" dimension of the Inner Development Goals (IDG) and why developing our thinking skills is crucial for long-term success. We share insights on how leaders can expand their perspectives, avoid oversimplifications, and strengthen their ability to make sense of complex challenges.1. Complexity AwarenessLeaders are often great at solving ‘technical’ challenges; however complex, adaptive, challenges require a different approach. We discuss why awareness of complexity is key.2025-02-2833 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastTransformation and the Power of Involvement - with Ilkka MäkitaloWe continue to explore how to make corporate transformation more successful by more intentional and meaningful involvement of employees.In this episode, we’re joined by Ilkka Mäkitalo, founder of Howspace, to explore how leaders can create better involvement that taps into collective intelligence, leverages technology, and fosters deeper engagement.Key Themes1. Engage Thoughtfully and Intentionally Involvement isn’t just about participation; it’s about designing thoughtful interactions. Ilkka emphasizes collaboration design, ensuring processes facilitate meaningful two-way dialogue rather than one-way communication. A well-structured dialogue fosters ownership...2025-01-2446 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastWhy Leaders Need to Know About the Brain: An Audiobook SpecialIn today’s episode, we present a free audio version of Gerrit Pelzer's chapter Soft Skills Through the Lens of Hard Science: Insights into Why Leaders Need to Know About the Brain from the book Brains Inspiring Businesses.*In this chapter, Gerrit highlights three essential insights every leader should know about the brain:Each brain is unique—this influences motivation and the conditions under which people can be their best.Emotions drive all our actions, including at work—yet they’re often overlooked in the corporate world.2024-12-111h 05
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastLessons From Women In Leadership − With Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner and Evelyn ChauIn this episode we explore a timely and vital question: What can women bring to leadership that men can't? Joining us are two accomplished women leaders from traditionally male-dominated industries: Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner, a former BASF board member, and Evelyn Chau, a director in the global banking industry. Together we dive into the unique contributions women bring to leadership, the challenges, and what we can all learn from a more diverse approach to leadership.KEY MESSAGES AND LESSONS Authentic LeadershipMelanie and Evelyn stress the importance of authenticity...2024-11-2253 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastSuccessful Transformation - With People at the Heart of ChangeWe explore how to achieve success in corporate transformation.The discussion starts with the fact that many organisations still seem to rely on traditional top-down approaches, despite evidence that this method leads to disengagement, resistance to change, and change fatigue.We conclude that there is a need for organisations to rethink their approach to transformation by putting people at the heart of the process. This means inviting people to co-create at scale, tapping into the collective intelligence of the organisation. Important is also to address both the rational and emotional side of change. Technological advancements, like AI...2024-10-2540 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastWhat Can Leaders Learn from Horses? With Ed RenshawGerrit Pelzer and Martin Aldergård delve into an unexpected but insightful theme: what leaders can learn from horses. Joined by guest Ed Renshaw, an executive coach with expertise in equine-assisted leadership development, they explore the parallels between interacting with horses and leading people, providing a unique perspective on leadership dynamics.Highlights:Purposeful Leadership: Horses, like people, respond to clear, authentic leadership. Ed explains how horses mirror human energy and intentions, offering leaders immediate feedback on their behavior. Horses thrive under purposeful direction, and this mirrors what human teams e...2024-09-2740 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastIntuition in Leadership - with Dr. Charlotte TamasonIn this episode, we explore the power and importance of intuition in leadership with Intuition Coach Dr. Charlotte Tamason. Intuition is often an underestimated aspect of leadership, yet it plays a crucial role in decision-making, fostering innovation, and navigating complex situations.Episode HighlightsUnderstanding Intuition: Charlotte demystifies what intuition really means for leaders, explaining how it goes beyond gut feelings to become a reliable inner guide.Intuition and Decision-Making: Discover how intuition complements analytical thinking in making fast, effective decisions in high-pressure environments.Practical Application: Learn...2024-08-2339 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastAchieving More by Wanting Less: Contentment in LeadershipIn a corporate environment, leaders are expected to be achievement-oriented and drive results. However, the relentless pursuit of goals can lead to exhaustion and burnout. Often, both leaders and employees miss out on enjoying the process while working towards the organization’s future vision.In this episode, Martin Aldergård and Gerrit Pelzer explore how leaders can find a balance between feeling content in the present moment while maintaining a drive for future aspirations.Key Points:2:55 - The Importance of Purpose: When your work aligns with your deeper purpose in life, it...2024-07-2640 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastDevelop Leadership Resilience - with Enrico Cañal BrulandJoin us in a conversation with Enrico Cañal Bruland, GM&VP of a multinational pharmaceutical company, where we discuss how to develop resilience in leadership.Reflecting on professional and private challenges, Enrico shares 3 factors that have helped him become a calmer, more balanced, and better version of himself. And as a result, becoming a more resilient leader, supporting his team and fostering a positive, forward-looking mindset, during difficult times.Curiosity - the ability to approach challenges as learning opportunitiesEmpathy - being empathetic to others in times of difficulties, b...2024-06-2840 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastLeading Change in a Foreign Country - Leadership Lessons from Noah ShepherdIn this episode, we talk with Noah Shepherd about leading change in a foreign country. We tap into his 30+ years of experience as a leader and executive in Asia.Our conversation covers three key success factors for leading change:It's not a raceInvolve everyoneTailor your communication to each audienceWhile this certainly can be seen as common knowledge, there is a lot to learn from Noah's deep experience and the stories he is sharing. He provides practical examples and insights, leading to significant improvements in people turnover, accident rates, product quality, and customer...2024-05-2440 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastMastering Assertiveness in Leadership － with Rachel GoodwinIn this episode we delve into the vital leadership skill of assertiveness. With guest Rachel Goodwin, a UK-based leadership coach with a specialisation in assertiveness and supporting women in the workplace, we explore how leaders can balance assertiveness to avoid being too soft, or overly aggressive.We discuss behavioural patterns including passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive styles, and the role of skilful assertive communication in achieving win-win situations and impact as a leader.We also cover practical exercises for developing assertiveness, such as role-playing and self-reflection on em...2024-04-2649 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastBeyond Silos: Navigating Organizational Boundaries, with Dr. Jürgen SchererIn this episode, we explore how to navigate organisational boundaries. As enterprises expand, silos and barriers often emerge, hindering collaboration across units, functions, and regions. However, adept leaders understand that success comes from bridging such boundaries, both within and outside the organisation.Join us as we delve into this vital leadership topic with our valued guest, Dr. Jürgen Scherer, a seasoned leader renowned for his expertise in navigating boundaries in global organisations.Key MomentsIntroduction to Dr. Jürgen Scherer [02:32]Understanding why organizational Boundaries exist [04:34]...2024-03-2150 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastThe GAPS Grid: How to Accelerate Your Development as a LeaderIn today's episode, we delve into the GAPS Grid, a dynamic tool designed to propel your leadership journey forward. Crafted by David B. Peterson, the GAPS Grid offers a structured approach to self-reflection, fostering clarity and alignment crucial for impactful leadership.*At its core, the GAPS Grid is a straightforward 2-by-2 matrix. You can visualize it by clicking here: https://bit.ly/GAPS-Grid. The 'G' quadrant represents Goals & Values, prompting introspection into what truly matters in your life. We explore reflection questions to unearth your core values and aspirations, e...2024-02-2228 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastCoaching Skills for Leaders And How to Overcome the ObstaclesApplying coaching skills as a leader is one of the best ways to develop people and boost employee engagement. And in fact, many leaders have attended "coaching skills for leaders" or "manager as a coach" trainings. Why then, we might ask, is not everyone in every organisation fully engaged, yet. Is coaching not working, after all?We are convinced coaching does work, but there are factors that keep leaders from applying them.What is coaching?Coaching should not be seen as a remedy to fix underperformance. Coaching is not about telling...2024-01-2541 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastHow to Motivate People: A Practical Guide for LeadersLeaders often ask us, “How can I motivate my team?” or “How do I enhance employee engagement?”. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer, as motivation is a highly individual and complex subject.But the challenge of motivating people is also what makes life interesting as a leader. Wouldn’t it be boring if we were all like robots, needing three pushes of a button, to be motivated?Nevertheless, there are common motivational “themes”, or guidelines, that every leader can benefit from.Key moments[04:37] A common misconception is that people ar...2023-12-2144 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastLeadership Transitions: How to Hit the Ground Running in Your New RoleEmbarking on a more senior executive role in your career can be very rewarding, yet it also poses several challenges. In this episode, we delve into the intricate dynamics of leadership transitions, uncovering strategies to make a profound impact in your new leadership position from the get-go.[3:10] Understanding the nuances of your new role compared to your previous one is pivotal. Letting go of familiar tasks and delegating these can prove challenging, especially if you excelled in those tasks and now must entrust them to individuals with less experience or lower s...2023-11-2331 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastStrategy that Works: Insights from a 12-Month People-Centered ProjectIn this episode, we share insights from a 12-month project where we involved all executives, managers and employees in shaping and implementing a new vision and strategy for growth. The project resulted in re-energizing and motivating 700 people at a large chemical manufacturing plant, fostering not only business expansion but also fortifying a sense of ownership and teamwork across the site.Key takeawaysApproach vision and strategy as a process, implementation includedInvolve people in co-creating the vision & strategy to cultivate a sense of ownership and use the collective intelligence of the organisationWhile the process requires...2023-10-2745 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastHow Transparency Makes a Difference in Leadership - with Adam HorneIn this episode we keep exploring the topic of trust in leadership, today from the perspective of openness and transparency. We are joined by Adam Horne, the co-founder of OpenOrg, a company on a mission to rebuild trust by bringing transparency to the world of work.We know that being open and transparent as a leader is key to build trust. An article in Harvard Business Review reports 76% higher employee engagement, and Gallup statistics shows 21% higher profit margin, compared to the average transparent company. So what can you do as a leader and what are...2023-09-2246 min
Second Crack — The Leadership Podcast360 Degree Feedback: A Welcome Punch in the Gut for LeadersA 360 Degree Feedback may be the most powerful leadership development tool you will ever use — if you use it correctly.Feedback holds the key to successful leadership development. Despite our well-intentioned endeavours, our actions may not always align with our intentions in the eyes of others. The most successful leaders understand how they are perceived by others and adjust their actions and manage perception accordingly.Receiving candid feedback is not always pleasant, but it invariably provides you with an opportunity to improve and develop as a...2023-08-2548 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastLeadership in Complex Times — with Anu Rathninde, APAC President, Johnson ControlsJoin our conversation with Anu Rathninde, the APAC President of Johnson Controls, and take-away an easy-to-remember guide for how to tackle complexity as a leader. Apply the steps in the “SIILA”-model and directly understand what you need to address, and create positive transformation in your organization.As a leader, you are expected to deliver predictable results and you are held accountable. It might be tempting to base your decision-making on control and assumed certainty. Yet, an organisation, with its people and stakeholders, is a complex adaptive system that doesn’t operate like a...2023-07-2839 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastSuccess Redefined: Exploring the Power of Happiness in Organisations with Dr. Tho Ha VinhTho Ha Vinh (bio below) found that one root cause for suffering is our current economic system based on competition and the fundamental contradiction of endless economic growth and the reality of a finite planet. It is an illusion that happiness and satisfaction come from more consumption. In effect, the ever-increasing consumption is destroying the planet and thus the very foundation of our human lives.The goal of economic growth must be to to satisfy legitimate human needs through goods and services. These goods and services are just a part of what enhances h...2023-06-2356 min
The Knowing Self Knowing Others Podcast22 The Importance of Soft Skills in Corporate Leadership with Dr Gerrit PelzerIn this episode of The Knowing Self Knowing Others Podcast, the host welcomes Gerrit Pelzer to discuss the importance of self-awareness in leadership. They discuss how some leaders lack self-awareness and can easily derail, how to become more self-aware and reflective in their practice, and the impact of neglectfulness on reputation. The speaker's coaching approach is influenced by both Western neuroscience and Eastern Zen Buddhism and emphasizes the importance of internal and external self-awareness. They also share a case study about a person who improved through self-awareness and reflection, and discuss how self-awareness is a critical factor for effective...2023-06-0527 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastCan, Care, Do: How to Build Trust and Spark Action — with Jim Massey, CSOWe are joined by Jim Massey, Chief Sustainability Officer at Zai Lab, and former global Vice President of ESG at AstraZeneca. Jim shares his experience as a global sustainability leader, and how he is using the Can, Care, Do model to lead transformation in the healthcare industry. Jim is also the author of the newly launched book "Trust in Action".Listen and gain insights on how you can build trust: the foundation of all positive action and change. And as always, we end with a few reflection questions for...2023-05-2643 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastSelf-Awareness for Leadership Success － with Dr. Nia ThomasFrom our experience in executive coaching and leadership development we see again and again that self-awareness is absolutely mission critical for self-development and personal growth. And of course, we can ask the question: Is there a link between a leader's self-awareness and his or her leadership effectiveness?To help us answer this question, we have a great guest on the show, Dr. Nia Thomas.Key moments[05:19] Nia shares what triggered her curiosity about leadership and self-awareness [08:04] Most important findings from Nia’s res...2023-04-2846 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastGenuine Dialogue: Key to Effective LeadershipOn the one hand, ‘every leader knows’ that it’s important to make all voices heard in an organisation, diversity and inclusion is critical. On the other hand, it’s still not uncommon to experience meetings where only a minority of participants is talking. And why is it so difficult to truly listen to opposing viewpoints?It has a lot to do with dialogue. In this episode we go deeper into the practice of genuin dialogue, its benefits and challenges. And, as always Gerrit and Martin have very different entry-points. Gerrit is sharing his personal observat...2023-03-2339 min
PWE & ME Podcast009: Brains Brought Into Business with Gerrit PelzerNot one brain is the same. Each brain forms certain habits and patterns in life that often persist through a whole lifetime and make each brain unique in how it interprets and experiences the world. As leaders it is important to recognise that your employees are all unique individuals. They won’t necessarily be motivated or stressed out by the same things as you and are affected by the eight basic emotions. By understanding that people perform differently when experiencing either survival or attachment emotions, we can support them accordingly so they feel safe and happy. We discuss topics such as...2023-03-2149 min
Evolve: A New Era of LeadershipBrains Brought Into Business with Gerrit PelzerNot one brain is the same. Each brain forms certain habits and patterns in life that often persist through a whole lifetime and make each brain unique in how it interprets and experiences the world. As leaders it is important to recognise that your employees are all unique individuals. They won’t necessarily be motivated or stressed out by the same things as you and are affected by the eight basic emotions. By understanding that people perform differently when experiencing either survival or attachment emotions, we can support them accordingly so they feel safe and happy. We discuss topics su...2023-03-2149 min
Second Crack — The Leadership PodcastThe Charms and Challenges of Leading Sustainability - with Anthony WatanabeIn this episode, we interview Anthony Watanabe, Chief Sustainability Officer of Indorama Ventures, a 20-billion dollar chemical company with 140 manufacturing sites worldwide and 26,000 employees. Anthony shares his experience of leading sustainable transformation at scale, and as we will see, there are both charms & challenges to the job.Key moments[05:00] How Anthony “wonderfully accidentally” discovered sustainability and started his 20+ year career in the field.[10:00] Charms and challenges of leading sustainability. Including the “mainstreaming” of sustainable transformation and the increasing demands on trans...2023-02-2347 min