The World Class Leaders Show

123: The Lonely Climb: The Truths of Top Leadership with Lindsley Ruth

Andrea interviews former CEO Linsley Ruth on what it takes to lead a major corporation. They dive into the secrets behind Ruth's success in turning around the RS Group electronics company. Ruth shares the one key cultural shift that catalysed growth and performance. He explains why putting employees first ultimately serves customers best. Ruth also gets real about the personal toll of leadership. The World Class Leaders Show BRAND NEW YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw KEY TAKEAWAYS Get out from behind your desk early on. Go meet frontline staff and ask for unfiltered perspectives on the business to inform your strategy. Culture change must come from within, not top-down mandates. Help people see the why before dictating the what. Buy-in beats forced compliance. Your staff are your top stakeholders. Tend to their wellbeing and engagement first so they can deliver for customers. Loneliness comes with the CEO job. Have an executive coach you trust as a sounding board for advice and accountability. Take smart risks when complexity abounds. Stay open to opportunities along with self-awareness to thrive. Reflect regularly by journaling pivotal leadership lessons. Review for continuous improvement. BEST MOMENTS "You can take every data point you want. You give me an hour with the customer and I'll know more than you." "People have to want to do it and be convinced on what needs to be done, not told what needs to be done." "The higher you go within a company, the lonelier the job becomes...have a coach to help with performance and balance." "Worry about what you think, worry about what you're going to do and staying true to your words." VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! The World Class Leaders Show YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE GUEST Lindsley Ruth CEO & Board Member, Global Business Transformation Award-winning CEO and highly qualified industrial distribution executive Lindsley Ruth was most recently CEO of RS Group plc (formerly Electrocomponents plc), a global omni-channel solutions partner for industrial customers and suppliers, where he was responsible for improving the financial performance of the Group and instilling a renewed focus on putting the customer and supplier back at the heart of the business. He led the turnaround of the underperforming business and, working with the broader team, created a strong vision and purpose for the company leading the company from the FTSE250 to the FTSE100 in six years.   Lindsley increased sales by more than 300%, profit by more than 500% and increased the share price by more than 6X. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

122: Break The Judgment Habit To Drive Better Performance

How can you get the best out of people? In this episode, Andrea talks about why getting the best out of your workforce starts with you as a leader and your approach to judgements. Andrea explores the reasons why a judgemental attitude can impact your performance and how we can stop judging people. The World Class Leaders Show BRAND NEW YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw KEY TAKEAWAYS Mindset is the only real driver for performance. When we meet people for the first time our brain builds an impression of them based on their physicality and its relation to stereotypes, this isn’t something we have control over. What we do have control over is how we deal with these thoughts and judgements in our brains. We are more likely to judge people who are different to us. Sometimes judging others is a way to make yourself feel superior, to boost self-esteem and to feel in control. Be mindful and conscious about your judgemental thoughts and feelings so you can create a level of awareness. If you start to judge someone, pause and ask yourself why this is. BEST MOMENTS "A judgemental attitude really kills performance” “These needs can lead us to judge others to see whether they are part of our in-group” “Sometimes we really judge others as a way to feel superior to them” “Be really mindful of your thoughts and feelings” “Ask yourself, why are you judging them” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! The World Class Leaders Show YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

121: The Secret to Transform Organizations into Learning Powerhouses with Ujjwal Kumar, Group President of Teradyne Robotics

Andrea interviews Ujjwal Kumar, Group President of Teradyne Robotics, in an insightful conversation about turning organisations into powerful learning machines that drive performance. They discuss how past experiences at companies like General Motors and GE shaped Ujjwal's leadership approach centred on resilience, execution, and staying relentlessly focused on solving bigger problems. Ujjwal shares his vision for accelerated growth at Teradine through customer adoption, strategic investments in startups, and potential acquisitions. He stresses the importance of building a culture that encourages smart risk-taking and frames failures as learning moments rather than personal shortcomings. The World Class Leaders Show BRAND NEW YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw KEY TAKEAWAYS Draw talent with diverse perspectives from around the world to solve complex issues that benefit societies Transfer learnings across industries to spot patterns and common links between end markets Cultivate resilience through open communication and regularly confronting weaknesses or blind spots Avoid complacency even in market-leading positions by staying attuned to inevitable disruption Focus your career on depth of learning over job titles to build capabilities as an effective CEO Lead with humility and executive stamina to calmly connect with all stakeholders BEST MOMENTS "Unions want to bring in robotics to improve workers' quality of life by taking repetitive, dirty, dangerous jobs. Robots won't replace humans, but take tasks we shouldn't be doing." "Failing means you're pushing the envelope to create something big. We have to see it as essential to the learning process." "Growth comes from operationalising ideas, not just goal setting. Dedicate people, plan change management - that execution discipline scales you up." "Stay paranoid. The day you think you're on top, you'll take actions avoiding reinventing yourself." VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! The World Class Leaders Show YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

120: The Silent Killer of Strategic Thinking.

There is one sure way to kill strategic thinking and this is through ‘busyness’. Join Andrea in this episode as he tackles and challenges the perception of always being busy and how it can harm your business. The World Class Leaders Show BRAND NEW YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw KEY TAKEAWAYS Many people feel so busy they are already losing sight of what is really important in both the medium and the long term. If we are already rushing through tasks and moving from one task to another then we don’t allow enough time to analyse and strategise. An overly busy environment often leads to distractions and disruptions. You can find yourself in this busy environment accidentally but once you realise, Andrea encourages you to break out of the cycle so you can operate at your full potential. BEST MOMENTS "The pace of business now is incredibly high” “Busy environments can lead to constant distractions and disruptions” “I strongly recommend you break this vicious cycle” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! The World Class Leaders Show YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

119: Crisis as a Burning Platform to Transform your Company | REWIND with Alain Bejjani, Former CEO of Majid Al Futtaim

On the occasion of the official launch of our new YouTube Channel for the show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw Andrea revisits an episode from summer 2023 and is joined by Alain Bejjani, former CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Group, an international diversified conglomerate with ventures in shopping mall ownership and operation, hotel ownership and operation, retail stores, leisure and entertainment centers, and mixed-use residential communities, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates with operations in the Middle East and Africa. He served as CEO from February 2015 until January 2023. Alain shares his stories and learnings from his 8-year tenure as a CEO including revealing how he rallied teams through disruptive change and unprecedented crises. Listen to this episode to learn how to drive digital innovation, empower your people, adapt in turbulent times, and align business with purpose. Alain distills profound lessons on authentic leadership, cultivating organizational culture, and finding opportunities amidst challenges! KEY TAKEAWAYS Communicate a compelling vision and create a burning platform to drive change even when times are good. Invest early in digital capabilities and customer experience to future-proof your business. Build an empowering, people-first culture that gives ownership and purpose. Stay resilient by focusing on progress over perfection. Walk the talk - tough decisions on people and resources show your commitment. Lead authentically; don't put on a mask at work. Merge your personal and professional values. BEST MOMENTS"Rejection and failure are part of the entrepreneurial journey; persist through the no’s to get to the yes." "If Plan A doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters. Stay persistent." "The way we lead our company is just as important as what our company does." "A crisis represents opportunity hidden in the challenge. Seize the chance to make changes not possible in normal times." VALUABLE RESOURCES The Big Leap Leaders Eat Last Principles by Ray Dalio Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favorite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE GUEST  Alain Bejjani is a Lebanese business executive. He was the CEO of the Majid Al Futtaim Group, an international diversified conglomerate with ventures in shopping mall ownership and operation, hotel ownership and operation, retail stores, leisure and entertainment centers, and mixed-use residential communities, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates with operations in the Middle East and Africa. He served as CEO from February 2015 until January 2023. Bejjani was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1973. He studied law at the University of Paris XII Val de Marne and the Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour. After graduating, he worked as a lawyer in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. In 2006, he joined the Majid Al Futtaim Group, where he held a number of senior positions. In 2014, he was appointed Chief Corporate Development Officer and Brand Officer. In 2015, he was appointed CEO. As CEO, Bejjani oversaw the growth of the Majid Al Futtaim Group into a global leader in the retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors. He also led the company's expansion into new markets, such as India and China. In 2023, he was replaced as CEO by Ahmed Galal Ismail. Bejjani is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on the Future of Retail. He is also a board member of several companies, including the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

118: The Dark Side of Artificial Harmony in the Workplace

In this episode, Andrea explores what he calls ‘artificial harmony’ and its impact on organisations. He discusses why fake harmony impacts a company and team negatively and talks about how to instead create an environment that thrives on constructive conflict. KEY TAKEAWAYS Artificial harmony is convenient for senior staff and leaders, it creates the illusion that people are happy If there is only artificial harmony then it isn’t easy or comfortable to have honest conversations The best results happen when there is proactive and useful ‘conflict’ leading to discussions, ideas and solutions Many leaders may prefer artificial harmony because it makes their lives easier as well as preserves their authority Constructive conflict doesn’t create a negative environment Unaddressed conflict can lead to mistrust and decreased team performance BEST MOMENTS "Artificial harmony is convenient” “Conflicts are avoided” “Artificial harmony kills results” “Great leaders really recognised the value of constructive conflict, they provoke it intentionally” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

117: What’s Coming in 2024 (and Why You Should Be Excited)

 In the first episode of 2024, Andrea outlines what he is committed to deliver for the world class leaders show in 2024. He gives three specific things he aims to start in 2024 and asks, what are you going to do this year to be successful? KEY TAKEAWAYS Making commitments is one thing but the most important thing is to honour them. We are all busy but that’s why it’s essential that you plan and make sure you can honour the commitments you make. A true leader, does what they say they are going to do. Andrea is in the process of creating his YouTube channel and writing his book! BEST MOMENTS "We can make great things together” “Don’t make wishes, make commitments” “The way to grow podcasts is definitely by sharing, liking, reviews” “I have decided the book is going to be important to me in 2024” “I love the work I do I know it makes a real impact on people” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

116: How to Make Sustainability Addictive with Niclas Persson, CEO of Deedster

Andrea speaks with Niclas Persson CEO and co-founder of Deedster, a company aiming to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy through engaging technology. Niclas discusses his journey from serving in the Swedish Air Force to working in the financial industry before realising he wanted to make a bigger impact regarding climate change. Niclas talks about the importance of purpose and meaning in attracting talent and describes some of the challenges in educating the market and achieving product-market fit in this new domain. He shares perspectives on taking risks as an entrepreneur, letting go of control as a leader, and staying patient amidst uncertainty. KEY TAKEAWAYS Climate change demands urgent, large-scale action - "every drop matters." Corporations are taking the lead with long-term transition strategies. Solving climate change is difficult and boring for many - focusing on the upsides through exciting, rewarding technology is key to engaging people. Having a strong purpose attracts talent and makes building company culture easier. People want meaning and impact. Educating the nascent "net zero" market on what's possible poses a challenge in achieving product-market fit and revenue. As CEOs, finding and empowering smarter people, and then letting go of control frightens but enables the company to flourish. Balancing bold risk-taking with patience amidst uncertainty has served Niclas well throughout his entrepreneurial journey. BEST MOMENTS "Recruiting teams and getting partnerships in this domain is quite easy...The purpose, the meaning, the purpose of what you do is so strong." "We have really, really hard conversations and maybe too often...we know each other so well, we can be very straight and blunt." "You need just to try to find smarter people than yourself and then hire them, and then empower them." "Be bold, take a lot of risk, as much risk as you can, and even beyond." "For now, this sustainability net zero, I cannot think of anything more important and relevant." VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

115: How To Preserve the Entrepreneurial Mindset in Your Organization

Andrea shares ‘the thing’ that keeps most CEOs he has had on the show up at night! He then discusses the four pieces of advice he would give to help tackle it. Andrea also gives an update on a network he is creating, drop him an email if you are interested in getting involved. KEY TAKEAWAYS As a company develops and grows, entrepreneurial spirit can be lost. Flexibility, agility and speed are all attributes of entrepreneurship that can get lost over time. Innovation can easily be downgraded as a priority as a company grows, looking to protect what already exists rather than generating new ideas and opportunities. Creating a culture that encourages risk and operates like a start-up is a way to continue to have an entrepreneurial spirit within your organisation. If you encourage employees to question existing ways of working then you will foster a culture focused around innovation. Try and identify one area in your organisation that if transformed, will have a big impact on your results. BEST MOMENTS "There is one thing that is quite consistent across the board” “As companies grow there’s definitely a tendency to get complacent” “You need to promote a culture that encourages risk taking” “There must be something somewhere that can be an incredible transformational element for the organisation” "That's what start-ups do, put the customer at the centre of their work...they have this relentless interest of creating value for the customers" VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

114: The Art of Merging Diverse Cultures with Luca Bovalino, CEO North America, FAAC Group

Andrea interviews Luca Bovalino, CEO for North America of the parking business unit at technology company FAAC Group. Luca has over 20 years of international management experience working across Europe, Asia and North America. Luca discusses the importance of bringing together diverse cultures after mergers and acquisitions. Luca shares how focusing on common goals and really getting to know your team members as people first, regardless of background, builds trust and transparency for better performance. KEY TAKEAWAYS Merging acquired companies that have diverse cultures can accelerate performance if managed properly Allow teams to preserve their native culture rather than enforcing one company culture Identify common goals and focus on human similarities rather than cultural differences Build personal connections among teams by opening up and sharing non-work-related details Servant leadership that supports employee motivation and retention drives customer satisfaction The world is still focused and talking about leadership because there are still many leaders out there who don’t know how to manage people effectively. BEST MOMENTS "Diversity is a richness in problem-solving, it’s a richness in accelerating the solution of a problem." "If you take care of your employees, they will surely care for your customers." “The world has changed. I mean, we did what we call the digital transformation today. Yesterday we were part of an industrial company. Today we woke up as an IT and software house.” “You have Germans, Bulgarians, Italians, Israelis and Americans. Fine. What are the common denominators? Human beings.” “it’s brilliant the approach you have and are seeing results [as a leader]” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.