What if embracing the role of a scientist could transform your leadership style? Join us as we unravel the unexpected events of 2024, a year that raised big questions about leadership across the globe. We kick off the conversation talking about the year's patterns and trends in leadership and organizations - what we thought would happen and what did happen. We discuss the evolving role of AI, for now not the job-stealing menace predicted at the start of the year.

2024 was the year of elections with half the world’s population going to the polls. Reflecting on the global political landscape, we examine what we’ve learned from voting patterns in over 70 countries including a general shift towards conservatism and a majority of voters expressing dissatisfaction with democracy. This shift prompts a vital discussion on the future of leadership. We explore the impact for organizations and leaders and ask whether our current age of leadership is at its end.

We reflect on the ways we paused in 2024, finding common themes in being deliberate, building stronger relationships, fostering collaboration, leaning into community, and taking perspective. Our guest Alison Omens, President of JUST Capital, brings a wealth of rich insights into how she is leading through changing headwinds, how she keeps her team motivated and engaged, how she paused in 2024, and what will matter in 2025. She shares strategies for balancing trust and guidance in leadership amidst uncertainty and challenge.

We conclude the episode by exploring the ways leaders need to be better scientists. This includes gathering contrary information from alternative sources in order to challenge assumptions and the importance of taking what you know and pulling the rug out from under it. We invite you to consider your own leadership journey and the impact you want to make in 2025.

Hosts Neil Jacobs and Dr. Taylere Markewich, PhD welcome guest Tessa Breslin to The Leadership Pause to discuss the ins and outs of being on more than one leadership team. Tessa is an organizational psychologist and an expert in leadership, consulting to iconic organizations around the world. Prior to starting Breslin Consulting in Northern Ireland she was a Managing Director and on the board of a global leadership consulting firm. She is the Vice Chair of Queen’s University Foundation and a non-executive director.

Tessa shares her unique insights drawn from 25 years coaching leaders and teams and her daring experience as a crew member on a cross-Atlantic yacht race, offering new perspectives on teamwork and the essence of leadership.

Navigating the complex landscape of divided loyalties, we unravel the tensions senior leaders face when balancing multiple roles across executive and functional teams. We dig into the significance of clear vision and purpose, role clarity, candor, and managing friction to foster effective team dynamics. Learn how to align individual and shared goals, master the art of being intentional and adapting your approach in line with the needs of the team. We discover that a sense of team unity is created by a collection of small acts and gestures, not just the big moments.

Talking about the teams we belong to outside of work yields added insight into the importance of being present and adaptable. These experiences illuminate the power and benefit of being planful, giving and receiving candid feedback to fellow team members, and investing in self-care to build team cohesion.

Balancing the line between structure and freedom in leadership can feel like walking a tightrope. In this episode we explore the concept of "not too tight, not too loose," as it applies to leadership development, organizations, and communities. We dive into the ways leaders can foster environments that are open yet grounded, and how self-awareness, reading your environment, and intentionality play a crucial role in this balance.

Our conversation also takes a historical turn, tracing the evolution of communal living from the experimental communes of the 1960s to the gated communities of the 1980s and 90s. We scrutinize how each era sought to define community, often swinging between extremes of freedom and isolation. Fast forward to today, where projects like California Forever strive to find a middle ground. Throughout this episode, we challenge the societal tendency to look for quick fixes rather than addressing the root causes of disconnection. How do we create communities and workplaces that honor individual freedoms and leverage the power of collectives, while delivering organizational imperatives?

Finally, we reflect on organizational dynamics and structures, exploring traditional and agile models and the impact of the pandemic on how we work. We share anecdotes from large organizations highlighting innovative approaches to building community and developing leaders. We underscore the importance of leaders sharing insights and experiences with each other, being adaptable, and having a common purpose. Join us as we explore these themes and more, bringing in insights and stories that resonate with the evolving landscape of leadership and community.